The Hidden Survivors
by Wildweasel
Summary: As Matthew Gideon seek some answers on Tolavia......
1.

Chilly and desert, would have said Matthew Gideon, if anyone had wondered what Tolavia looked like. The planet was too yellow and dusty for the captain of the Excalibur, even by night. He'd got used to all kind of worlds, but this one, was quite as a graveyard at midnight, a day without moon. At least, he was at the only grassy place of the planet. Surrounded by arid hills on one side, and small dunes on the other. Gideon was standing in the middle of the prairie. It was like being on the verge of a new and different life. Where you could feel the magic of the universe, imbuing your soul. That's why he had left Max and the others, two hours ago. He liked feel the nature around him, things you couldn't do on board of a star ship.   
The cool wind blew in his brown hair, lifting slightly a lock. Closing the eyes, he felt almost as he was on Earth, in his backyard. The spicy scent of the night overwhelmed him. A tiny glow of light pierced at the horizon. The dawn would rise soon. Then, the sun would show up. They'd all be toasted like some chicken wings on a barbecue, if they didn't get off this planet before it happens.   
Raising his leather collar, Matthew Gideon looked at the impressive statue in front of him. Accordingly to mister Eilerson, the civilization who built it, was at their apogee when the first shadow war begun, ten thousands years ago. But, also difficult it seemed to Eilerson, he didn't have a clue to explain their disappearance. No evidences of their deaths anywhere. They had just vanished two centuries ago.   
In a middle of the courtyard in ruins, Gideon stood up facing the unknown statue. Around him was the rest of an ancient dwelling. All over Gideon's glance laid, the nature had taken back the place, without sparing the statue too. Grey lichen descended from the statue's neck till her hips. Gideon put his right hand on the dark stone. The material they used, was cold and rough at some places. They made her with one lonely block of stone.   
"That would help if you could talk!" said Gideon smiling. "All the mystery you're keeping inside those stone"  
The captain didn't know why, but he could feel a weird sensation coming from this statue. Although she looked a bit familiar to him, with her wings deployed, ready to take off. As well as the praying stance she kept, knees bent, hands joined forward her face. Her grace and her magnetic shape, made Gideon think it was the most divine being he could never expect to meet in his entire life. It could be, because the statue had no face at all, showing only two small holes instead of the sockets. Or something else gave him this feeling. In a way, he knew he would learn that secret soon. An intense warmth invaded his body, as he put both hands on the angel's statue.   
"Wow!" He exclaimed, quickly removing his hands from the statue's body. He felt as he had taken an electric shock. "What the hell is that coming from?" he said, massing his palms. Not that it hurt really, it was more like annoying stings inside his hands. Carefully looking at them, Gideon found nothing particular or visible. He'd check later with Chambers to know what happened. Looking back to the statue's face, a shudder roamed his spine.   
"Dammit!" cried out Gideon. He could swear her head had moved, gazing at him for a while, with her ghostly look. He stepped back, looking the statue's face, waiting she reiterates the feat.   
But nothing happened. A bit anxious, Gideon wondered whether it wasn't an illusion, or some kind of visual effects due to the dawn's gleam.   
Withdrawing his sight from the angelic statue, he made his way through the grassy court. The only non-desert place on this dry planet. Something behind a wall in ruins, drew his attention. From where he was he could barely see glows of crystal light, shining and sparkling , as a bright star in the night. Heading towards the light, Gideon pressed on his wrist link.   
"Did you advance in the research mister Eilerson?"  
"Not exactly, captain!I've found some evidences of writing" answered a strong voice, "but no proof than they've been killed by the Drakh's plague so far. I asked to. . . "  
"I was hoping you had some clues after an entire week on these ruins" cut Gideon's voice, full of reproaches.   
"I told you captain, it's too soon to. . . "  
"I know Mr Eilerson, you need more time, but we don't have it!The sun is rising and I don't want any problem. So get back to the shuttle you'll give me your full report on the Excalibur. I'll see you on board, I have a thing to check first!" ordered Gideon.   
"Don't be late captain, I hate catching sunburn you know. I have a very sensible skin, and roasting on this planet is not in my plans today. " said Eilerson.   
"You should know that I will never put in jeopardize the brightest brain of the universe. Can't imagine the consequences of this awful lost!" answered ironically Gideon. "Don't wait for me, I'll call Matheson to pick me up. "  
"Captain I. . . " began Eilerson.   
"You heard me, so don't lose your time!Go the shuttle, and for once mister Eilerson, be quite!"  
Eilerson always wanted to have the last word on everything. As their xenoarcheologist, he was brilliant but so much arrogant though Gideon, the worst combination.   
Arriving near the shining object, Gideon saw that it was not in crystal. The wall was damp at some spots. As the sun rose, sunbeams had been reflected by the water pouring from a corner.   
"Water on this desert planet" murmured Gideon. "How can it be?"  
All the scans had indicated no water on the planet surface. Perhaps they had missed something. They hadn't scanned the planet's core. Too much interferences.   
Looking around him, he noted no other wet walls. Gideon frowned. He hated to have surprise. And this, was something new. Coming closer, he placed his hand on the dark, grey wall. It was cold and humid. He was going to call the Excalibur when he saw the steam escaping from the base of the wall. "I finally gonna have an answer, after all" thought Gideon.   
Crouching in the grass, he sought the hole, where the steam was coming from. He drew aside   
the long, slender green grass, before him. Coming closer to the tiny clouds formed by the steam, a small wheezing increased. Then, he saw a wee spot, the steam was getting out of it. He put his hand inside one of the small clouds of steam. His palm beaded with water drops. Smelling the liquid, he found it was probably water. He wouldn't be sure until Chambers analysed it. Could be filled with alien bacteria, or worst, alien virus. For now, he had his count with the Drakh's plague.   
Looking over his shoulder, he saw the sun was rising, lightening the place where he stood. He didn't have much time to leave the planet, before the deadly heat would conquer the coolness of the night. He would check the place, when they got back, tomorrow. Facing now the sun, He stepped back, touching his wrist link.   
The ground under him suddenly seemed to slip away. In a snapping thud, he was sucked up by the soil disintegrating below him. In the middle of clay and tuft grass falling with him, he skidded his hands on the wall's surface, hopelessly trying to cling to it.   
Thrusting his fingers as hard as he could into the damp and rocky wall, Gideon managed to grip at the rock. He snatched it strongly, stopping abruptly his fall. Then, he felt his right collarbone snapped, tearing him a scream. The rest of him crashing violently against the rugged wall, breaking him a rib in the action. Blood run from his forehead. He had opened his upper lip too, he learnt when he put his tongue on the cut, iron taste in the mouth.   
He tried to stop the swinging, managing to stick at the wet wall as close as he was able to. His free hand reached a small dent over his head.   
"No way! I'm not gotta let you have a piece of me!" screamed Gideon, a painful groan on his face.   
His feet still swaying from one side to an other, he felt something scratching his tibia. Finding an edge to stand on, he managed to raise both legs slowly, releasing the shoulder's ache. Few minutes, he stood close to the wall, his cheek stuck on it, resting on the cold and wet wall, breathing deeply.   
Few rocks were still falling over him. And he didn't want to get stunned by one of them, so he stayed as close as possible of the wall, unmoving. He hoped, he grasped one rock that would not loosen under his weight. Rocks bumped into something hard, it sounded hollow. Perhaps, he wasn't so far from the floor, thought Gideon. Always hoping for the best, the floor might be not so deep after all. He could have his chances.   
Over him, he saw the hole from which he felt, some light was beginning to enter from it as the night was fading into the day. Reaching a small ledge of rock near his head with his scorched hands, he pulled himself to climb. His right foot on the ledge, he grasped a small rocky dent, going up was his only way to get out of this mess, in fact he hoped that.   
The rock damped against his body, Gideon climbed a long time until he found no grip at all. Each of them were too muddy, sliding like soap.   
"So close to get out of that damned place" Gideon reconsidered his new situation.   
No way up, the down solution wasn't to give him much hope. Even knowing that he had to try. Tired, he hadn't much time before the sun shows up.   
His strength began to abandon him. The planet's atmosphere was probably the cause. With heavier pressure and the heat coming from the sun, this was a little bit too much to bear with this ascension. The steam wasn't helping him much too. He was sweat, exhausted, and all he wanted right now, was to lay on his bed in his quarters. He hurt his left hand in the fall, so to hold onto the rocks was becoming uneasy and more painful as time went on.   
His wrist link beeped. "Too bad" thought Gideon, can't reach it without loosing my balance. "Hope Matheson will send somebody to help" said Gideon, looking at the breach over him.   
Then, he felt his hope melted like the ice over a fire. Rays of light were entering the edge of the breach. He couldn't climb to the exit, even if he was able to, it was too late now. Stay in this stance would not be helpful when the sun reached the top of the opening. He would sure be roasted when the sunbeams attained their zenith. Then, he would die.   
Clawed at the ledge, Gideon remembered about the wooden thud he heard before his ascent. His last hope rested on the hypothesis of a floor below him. Which meant going down again.   
"Get to this floor will not be a piece of cake" sighed Gideon, looking down to the darkness.   
Unable to see anything further his hands, he hoped making no awkward move, it would mean a deadly fall to this gloom.   
With a precautious move, Gideon groped for a grip. Next to his chest, he found a small rocky dent to grip on it. Grasping it, he moved one foot down, then, an other, and an other step, again and again. Succeeding to come down by this way, Gideon stopped after half an hour. No more grips were at his range. He had to stop, again.   
Sticking at the wall like some glue, Gideon looked over him while he was taking his breath back. The sunbeams were penetrating more inside the breach. He felt a shudder roaming his body as sweats was dripping along his back. He was tired to find new sharpen grips for his scorched hands, tired he hadn't reach the bottom yet.   
The coldness of the damped rock against his cheek contrasted with the insidious burn coming from all his body. Even at that depth, several weak radiations attained him. He had to hurry before it would reach a deadly irradiation level. So he took a deep breath, gathered his last strength and started to go down once more.   
Still leaning on the humid wall, he slid down slowly, bending his knees. His face stuck at the cold stone, Gideon found a sized fingers cavity to grip on it. All his weight on the left leg, he didn't feel when the ledge broke suddenly. Leaving the captain of the Excalibur hung up by two fingers to the wall.   
"Damned!" burst from Gideon's lips, just before his fingers slipped, letting him fall again.   
To what seemed an eternity, Gideon banged into something hard and strong. Which he was sure, couldn't be stone. He felt only the wood snapping into his ribs. His head bumped on some kind of hard floor. In the darkness, he was unable to see where he was and on what he had fallen.   
Almost unconscious, a violent headache hammering his head, he heard cracks under him. The wooden floor, where he was laid, was parted under his weight.   
Perhaps, the apocalypse box would have his soul sooner than he thought after all. Gideon felt suddenly more sorry for Earth, than his own life. He would not accomplish his mission, save Earth, find a cure to the Drakh's plague. Even if the Earth Alliance was putting someone else to the command of the Excalibur, he, had failed.   
In the middle of snapping sounds of breaking wood, Gideon, in a last effort, tried to reach something to clutch at. This, was enough for the planks to snap. Leaving Matthew Gideon, captain of the Excalibur, sinking into the obscure bowels of an unknown planet.   
  
********************  
  
"Do you have any news, lieutenant?" asked a young woman, her brown hair curling on her shoulders.   
She was wearing a brown leather paints as her shirt, cut just before the elbows. That gave her the appearance of someone you don't want to meet by night. Someone dangerous to mess with. Dureena Nafeel stood near the commanding chair, her turquoise eyes glancing at the bridge, stopping on the lieutenant John Matheson.   
"Nothing since the shuttles came back. " answered Matheson, touching his left earpiece as he heard something. Sighing, he left his hands coming down again, his asian face reflecting his anxiety.   
He knew that if something had happened to his captain, this one would have call. Gideon followed strict rules, that he was or not in the away team. He would not break them, unless he'd been unable to make the call. Which was possible with all the solar interference coming from this unstable star.   
Matheson was pretty sure his captain had already serious troubles on the planet. Worst of all, was to know nothing about his situation. If the radiations had hurt him or even killed him. The time wasn't to give him any rest, increasing his concern each time he got new unfruitful report.   
As a telepath, the young lieutenant had tried to reach his captain's mind. Failing lamentably , he was not a high level telepath, he had gathered the mains officers in the conference room, hoping to find a way to go safely and get his captain back.   
In the end of the meeting, no one had come up with a working idea. The shields increasing ness couldn't work more than five minutes, sucking all the energy shuttle. This would put at risk both the shuttle and the crew.   
Although they had radiation suits, none of them were equipped for this high level of radiation, at least not for the time they needed, going to the planet, and looking for their captain.   
The planet atmosphere full of gamma and IR waves, increased the temperature on the surface to a spectacular way. Allowing Gideon to survive no more than twelve to fourteen hours, the time of a planet rotation, had told Chambers. Without any medical help, his chances were really low. The human body could stain some radiations, but up to a certain level, nobody could survive to irremediable lesions due to the radiations.   
Even knowing that, he couldn't put other men's life in jeopardize. His captain knew that. He would not have agree to jeopardize his men's life for someone who could already be dead, as Eilerson pointed out in the conference room. Several men risking their life just for him, Gideon would have say "no" . He'd have to survive alone, had concluded Max. With no working idea, Matheson had finally come to agree with the xenoarcheologist, even if he thought that idea awful, he had no other choice.   
Matheson closed his eyes, remembering before his captain left the Excalibur. If only he had insisted, and had gone with him. Perhaps the things would have been different. If only Gideon had found some kind of shelter, it would buy them the time they needed.   
"No traces of caves or grottos appear on the sensors" that's what a junior officer had told to Matheson few hours ago, with a desperate voice.   
"Never give up" sighed Matheson for himself. He had learnt that from his captain.   
Since he met him, they had become close. Almost as two separates brothers at birth, finding themselves after thirty years. He had begun to understand his captain's mind.   
If there was a way to stay alive, Gideon would find it. He would come back from hell, just to prove that it was not impossible. The young lieutenant had no doubt about his captain's survival skills.   
Focused on the Excalibur main screen, Matheson looked at the dry planet cutting out the starlit space. The bridge was too silent, contrary to the usual. Everyone was thinking at their captain, alone on that planet, and nobody to give him a hand. What would they discover when they finally got there in several hours? Nobody was really sure, but one thing was certain, they would not like it. No they wouldn't.   
Putting softly a hand on Matheson's shoulder, Dureena glanced at John's face. Seeing despair in his brown eyes, she tried to reassure him.   
"I'm sure he will be fine" breaking the heavy silence from the bridge.   
"I hope" muttered Matheson "It's just. . . so stressful to wait, and do nothing else! Even if he needed help, we wouldn't know before we get there. All because of this damned interferences!" finished to growl Matheson, breaking the weighing silence of the bridge.   
  
********************  
  
Unable to know what Matheson had said, Gideon was lying down on a muddy ground. Crushed under rocks and pieces of wooden boards, he knew one thing, he needed help. He knew also, that nobody would come before the night. He'd have to hold onto, until Matheson and the medical team come. Till this, he'd be left to his own devices.   
Breathing with a lot of difficulties, He could feel he was in a wretch state. Each time he moved, it was hurting more and more. The sun's bite burnt his flesh profoundly. His back was aching. His head hurt as he had taken an anvil in the face. He felt the taste of blood in his mouth. Dizzy when he opened the eyes, he took a deep breath. A painful scream came out at  
the moment the air entered his lungs, burning him inside. Spitting blood, anxiety rose inside him.   
"Internal bleeding" whispered Gideon huskily. "As I hadn't enough troubles already!"  
Lay on the side, he was unable to move. A wooden board weighted heavily on his shoulders. Squashing half of his face deep in the mud. Bringing back his right hand to his cheek, he grasped a piece of the large board. Several wooden splinters got through his skin, while he was pushing the board with all his strength. This one began to move after ten minutes of uninterrupted efforts. Making some room to free his other hand, trapped between the board and the damped ground. A shooting pain tore Gideon's face, as he was pulling out his other arm from the rubble. His arm was broken. As well as his wrist and with it, his link too. His only way to call help when the night would have come.   
"That damned planet is not going to give me any chance at all!" grunted Gideon.   
His free arm had left enough room to move his body a little. Now, he could try to creep like a snake as he was pushing the heavy board with his valid hand, setting free his chest. Only his legs were still prisoners from the rocky and wooden boards stack.   
Leant on his valid arm, Gideon looked at his trapped legs. Tired, he was still facing the ground. Swaying on each side, he managed to free a small spot. This gave him some room to turn over and face the rubble in front of him.   
Some light came from shiny sunbeams far over him. A hole shape was cutting through the rays of light. As he noted, he went clean through it. Probably a wooden floor, as he saw all the broken boards overlaying his legs. This was weird. A floor in some kind of ventilation shaft. This didn't make any sense. His team hadn't found any entrance near the ruins. "Except the one I stepped on it" thought Gideon.   
As some kind of reproach, the sun glowed through the wooden remains over him. His deadly rays ravenous step by step the shadow's protective screen, getting closer to Gideon's trapped place. The heat was changing the place in oven. Draining his strength with each difficult breath. Gideon rose to his elbows, tearing him out a groan of pain when he moved his left arm. Counterbalancing his weight on the other side to reduce the pain, Gideon raised one leg. Lifting the board over his trapped legs. Then he pushed on the heels to pull out his hips, and slowly released one leg out of the rubble.   
Bathed in sweat, he rested a minute, his head laid in the mud. He was still trapped by one leg. Breathing loudly, he sat again as he could in the mud, to face the stack of stones. With his free leg, he took support from a rock toping the mud. Once more, he pushed hard, forcing down the board to move as he was lifting it with his valid hand. A muffled growl came from Gideon as he was bringing his leg out of the rubble. He could hear sounds of wooden snap close to him. In a last effort, he freed his knee, then his ankle from the rocky rubble before it collapsed heavily in the muddy floor.   
Exhausted, lay down in the chilly mud of the swallow hole, the stalwart captain couldn't make one more move. A killing pain irradiated from his chest. He probably broke several ribs in the fall, making his movement painful at each time.   
Besides he was no more under the rubble, and that made him more aware of his aching body. Swallowing the warm atmosphere from this humid hole, which was becoming a sauna, Gideon reached his wrist link. It was broken in more than three place. The main circuits was crushed, making impossible for anybody to repair it. Yet, he had to try. He gave it a shot to see how bad were the damages. Calling the Excalibur by pressing the button, he waited several seconds for an answer. None came back. he tried again three times, still no answers. Finally, in a frustrating move, he dropped the wrist link, letting the device sink into the mud.   
He should find a shelter quickly, the sun was high in the sky now. He will not hold long enough in this heat, among these deadly radiations.   
Sore, bleeding from his open wounds, Gideon felt as he couldn't bare more.   
"I'm gonna die alone, on a lifeless planet" thought Gideon. "Unless a miracle. . . Where is Galen when you need him? Always wandering somewhere in the galaxy" muttered the captain in a hiss, "this time would have been both, most wanted and most needed moment, Galen, anywhere you are. "  
Too tired he stared at his dreadful enemy far over him. The sunlight nibbling the safe obscurity all around the unfortunate captain. He was whacked out. Each painful breath was taking away his strength. the oppressing heat growing with each seconds. Unable to move, slowly, the images in front of him blurred. Everything was becoming dark, fading away. Sinking into the gloom of unconsciousness, Gideon let dropped his head in the mud, once again.   
  
********************  
  
Pacing up and down the Excalibur's bridge, Matheson stared at the screen. Almost six hours had gone since Gideon was missing. Concerned for his captain, he couldn't really show his feelings when he was on the bridge, in front of junior officers.   
"Do you pick up anything new on the sensors?" did he ask, with a well control voice, despite the situation.   
"No, sir!" replied a young red haired woman. "The radiations level are at their full intensity now. It makes impossible to get anything on the scans. "  
"John?" said the doctor Chambers behind him.   
He turned to face the doctor. She was wearing her usual blue uniform. Her black hair untied falling on the shoulders.   
"I'm busy Doc!" He sighed as she stared at him. "What can I do for you?"  
She smiled "You could go in your quarters, and rest for an hour at least. "  
"I can't, I told you, I'm busy. And I don't want to be asleep when the captain will call. "  
"You do know that you won't be helping him, if you are too tired!" She reproached him, with the maternal tone used for an undisciplined child. "Besides. . . " continued the doctor, "you are aware of his incapacity to make a call with these interferences. "  
He considered her a moment. As she saw she made her point, she resumed.   
"So, go to your quarters, take some sleep! Doctors orders, lieutenant. I'm sure they can take care of the ship for a while" glancing with a wave of hand at the crew.   
"Sorry Doc, I have to stay until the captain returns from the planet!" answered Matheson.   
Stunned by Matheson's stubbornness, Chambers stared at him furiously.   
"Are you really thinking you're gonna make a difference in staying here, like a sentinel?"  
Matheson didn't answer, watching the stars on the screen. Chambers gazed at him, her arms akimbo.   
"In eight hours we'll go down to find Matthew, even in the best case, he will need to rest. So, I don't see how he could count on you to look after his ship if you're exhausted too! I'm sure he would rather have you on the bridge, fit for duty. " she smirked.   
"All right doctor, you made your point!" said Matheson, giving up to the doctor's argument.   
Leaving the bridge for his quarters, Matheson gave an anxious glance at her. Which Chambers send back with her reassuring sight, meaning "don't worry".   
  
********************  
  
When Gideon woke up, almost all the place was lightened by the sunbeams. He was dim sighted. All he could see was floods of white and blinding light everywhere. He sat up straight, tearing him out of the dry mud stuck at his uniform. His eyes began to accommodate to the bright light coming from the opening, over him.   
He was sore, his skin burnt him under his leather jacket. He could feel his blood, boiling inside his body. Sat, he felt the urge to lean on a side. Dizzy, he spewed blood. Laying his forehead in the mud, Gideon closed the eyes, breathing in fits and starts. A shooting pain came through his bailey, crossing his lungs. His heart throb faster as he tried to stand straight on his knees. He helped himself in taking support on the rubble. A violent headache, made him groan when he opened the eyes, letting in a stream of glowing light.   
Slowly, the images began to take shape before Gideon. Then, he managed to raised to his feet. Still unsteady on his legs, he glanced at the closest shadow spot. One foot after an other, Gideon reached the shadow's safety. Groping his way in space, a dark wall appeared on his right. Leaned on it, he enjoyed the coldness of the wall, cooling his burning back, while it appeased the unbearable pain.   
His eyes getting used to the obscurity, he noticed some kind of entrance in the wall, not too far from him. The damp wall assisted Gideon, which took support on it, faltering at each new steps. Arrived at the entrance, he saw the frame of a broad tunnel. Engaging himself in, Gideon perceived more humidity than the inside of the hole, as he was resting against the wet wall.   
"So, that's where the steam comes from!" said Gideon with a faint voice.   
Gripping to the wall, he stopped to walk, taking back is breath in a harsh wheezing. His left arm hanging alongside his body, blood drops fell on the ground. Holding his broken arm with the other hand, Gideon stared at the darkness descending to the planet's bowels.   
Behind him, he could still see the tiny light coming from the hole where he fell. Feeling the stifling heat from it, he knew that the sun was probably close to his climax. He had no other choice than to sink deeper into this gloom. Hoping for the best. The rocks would protect him from the radiations, buying him some time before the Excalibur's party comes to his rescue. Then, still pressing his arm to his chest, he made his way through the obscurity. Reeling, faltering on his feet, Gideon stepped forward, trying to stay upright.   
After what seems to him an eternity, he stopped, staring at the bowels extremity, with a quiver. A tiny beam of light came far away before him, pulsing. First, he thought he was becoming delirious, the light being only an illusion.   
Covered of sweat and mud, he rested a minute, stuck at the wall. An awful headache hammered his temple and the back of his head. The gleam that he could perceive seemed really far. Puffing, bent in two, Gideon tried to recover his strength. He knew he was still too close of the entrance and from the radiations. He should go further, aim at this pulsing light over there, whatever it was. Then, finally, he would rest.   
Resuming his walk, we could see determination in his hazel eyes. Sometimes stopping to take his breath back, but always walking to the shining light of hope. Gideon arrived finally in a huge grotto.   
This one was full of a blue light coming from the centre. Everywhere around him, the light was beating and pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeats. A shudder invaded Gideon as he felt a heavier pressure weight on his shoulders.   
The walls were covered by symbols. He didn't recognize any of them. It was probably an unknown alien language. Or it could be child's drawing, he would not really see the difference anyway. He was not a xenoarcheologist. From the top, stalactites fell down in grapes, cutting the rays of light like some razor blades. Listening to a faint thud of water drops, which dripped from the rocky cones to the damp ground, Gideon glanced at the place with a painful sight. In the middle, from some kind of a tiny volcano mouth, gushed a bright blue light, filling the grotto.   
Getting closer to it, the captain felt his anxiety decrease. Attaining the glowing light, he took support on it. With a jerky breath, he looked inside the opening, wondering what produce this appeasing and rhythmic light. A warm feeling overwhelmed Gideon. The light spun around him. Barely breathing, he reeled on his legs as hypnotized by the drowsy light. He felt some kind of conscious taking him away. Light as the air, he saw himself laid on the grotto's floor. Drained into a whirlpool of bright and coloured light everywhere he was looking. His mind wandered if he was dead. "Could the light have killed him? Could be that!" thought Gideon or his wounds had finally got the better of him.   
At last, the brightness diminished until it remained no more gleam in the entire grotto.   
The silence overlaid the insight of the grotto, and with it, the captain of the Excalibur leaned on the floor.   
  
  



	2. Where is Gideon?

The docking bay was seething with excitement. Men and Women were running from one side of the bay to the other. Checking the shuttle's system, making the last check-up to the engines and the control panel. Impatient and Nervous, they were waiting for the dusk to come. Two shuttles were in the middle of the docking bay, almost ready for departure.   
Dureena entered the docking bay. As she looked around, searching for Matheson, she's been amazed by the unusual agitation of the crew. Wearing her usual leather suit from head to foot, she moved towards the lieutenant, near a shuttle. He was absorbed in his pad, flooded by data. With the grace of the wildcat, she was in his back in few steps. He turned to her, feeling her presence behind him.   
"What are you doing here, Dureena?" he asked, looking anxious. "We are leaving! I'll talk to you when we get back, ok?" said Matheson, aiming to the closest shuttle.   
"I'm going with you!" she replied with her straight voice, stopping him on his way.   
"No, you can't! We're going to be too busy to seek the captain and . . . " he didn't finished, seeing her look. "Why do you want to come anyway? I'd never thought you were so close to the captain!"  
"It's not the point!" she briskly answered. "I could be useful, remember! I can go in any holes, bowels you could imagine!" she smirked, her eyes sparkling. "I'm a thief after all!!"  
"All right, you've got the job. But don't make me regret it. " he added, hiding his feelings. He was grateful she cared for the captain. "I don't want to have to look after you. I've got enough of a disappearance per day!" sighing.   
"You can count on me, John!" Her piercing yellow-green eyes challenging anyone to declare the contrary.   
"Count on you for what?" asked Chambers, in Dureena's back, joining the second in command and the last Zanderi.   
Dureena smiled when she turned to face the doctor. She opened her mouth to reply when Matheson spoke first. His left hand pressing on his earring comlink.   
"Never mind, Doc!" giving her the most impatient look she had ever seen from him. "The sun is almost set, let's go!" he ordered, joining the rest of the search party, already inside the shuttle one. Followed soon by Dureena and Chambers. They sat and fasten their seatbelts, bringing the strap in place while the engine began to throb.   
The main windows soon displayed the starlit space. Both shuttles headed towards the planet. From her seat, Dureena could see the continents as Eilerson called them. A dark and large black line dividing them. It contrasted with the ochre color from the desert continents. A vast crater appeared on Tolavia's right side, proof of a dreadful impact.   
It was like the entire planet surface had been turned over by god's hands. The planet's crust was torn out at some places. The core spewing melting rocks inside deep valleys. Huge and obscure canyon cutting the crust into lonely islands. All over looked like a giant had eaten the planet and then, spited it out after deciding it didn't taste good.   
Dureena's sight went to her feet. Someway, this planet remembered hers, after the Shadow had destroyed it. Giants craters stamped on the surface as a Shadow's print, warning for every life. A growing sorrow went through her soul. She was alone now. Last of her kind, last of the Zanderi. Her family killed during the Shadow war, she had nobody to care for.   
Now, it was Gideon's turn. Once he helped her, letting her come aboard the Excalibur. Making her a truly member of his crew. Despite everyone knew she was a thief, they all had respect for her, especially Gideon. She found him stalwart, charismatic and the best second guess she ever met. It was sometimes difficult to really know what he had in mind. She was convinced he had lots of secrets behind these mysterious hazel eyes. But the most important for her, he was fair, he never judged anyone on the first look. She wouldn't admit it in front of him, but she trusted him, and that, was something hard to believe for a zanderi, doubled of a thief. She couldn't let him die on the planet, when she might help with her specials skills.   
The shuttle was violently shaken as she was entering the planet's atmosphere, disturbances surrounding the shuttle. Few minutes later the pilot announced they were about to land. He asked everyone to stay stretch. As soon as they touched down, Dureena stretched her off her seat. She never liked being tied up. When Matheson opened the door, a warm wind engulfed inside the shuttle. Just behind him, Dureena felt the warmth on her cheek. The doctor Chambers followed her when she jumped on the ground. Although the sunset still gave a golden light, Matheson turned on his torchlight, and held the other to Dureena. She rapidly grabbed it and lighted her way. Their light beams chasing the night coming around the Excalibur crew.   
"Dureena, we're going to spread in four teams, " told Matheson. "You and Perry, you will go this way" showing a point on the map, laid on the ground. He didn't really need paper map, but he wanted to keep everyone's attention. Gathering the team around it was the first thing.   
"As you wish. " said Dureena, recognizing Perry as the pilot of the shuttle.   
"Jackson and Lea, you'll take north from here, " he looked at two security guards. "Roberts and Mitchell, you'll go east, " designing the member of the second shuttle. "As for the doctor and me, we will take this direction. " Chambers nodded.   
"We're going to centre our research around the last position we had from the captain, there. . . " pointing a finger on the map. Glancing at his crew to check if they all understood. "Any questions?" The silence was his only answer. "All right, and don't forget to check any spots, places, caves you'll find. The captain has surely found a shelter somewhere in this perimeter! We have to find him before dawn. So, every places you could think of, will be a potentiality, don't neglect anything! Call me if you find something, ok?" They all acquiesced to his orders. All the Excalibur's members were trained at any possible course of action, making them well-aware of the situation. None of them looked like they had a question in mind. Conscious each seconds counted, Matheson finally opened the mouth to give his last order. "Alright!Let's split! Remember to make your report every hour to the Excalibur!"  
Then, he looked at Chambers and took a small path descending along a sandy dune. The doctor followed him, without saying a word. Could she add anything, after these kind of speech. She thought not. Taking the other direction, Dureena and Perry engaged themselves into a beaten track. The other teams splitted, each taking opposites directions.   
  
*******************  
  
Their steps had driven them to a desert area. Dunes on each side of the way. The temperature had began to drop as they were walking since an hour. Matheson turned to Chambers, his portable scan in one hand. He frowned. With the wind lifting sand at each step, they were now covered with thin layers of ochre dust. Shaking one more time his arms to dust his uniform, he gazed at the pad.   
"Still no match!" sighing "We are walking since an hour and we didn't find anything! He's got to be somewhere, Dammit!" said Matheson with an angry voice.   
"Perhaps, the other will have better luck" reassured Chambers. "We should check with them first. "  
"Of course, it would have been my second move, right after yelling at the universe. " He replied roughly. He knew she tried to comfort him, but right now, he didn't want her kindness. He was angry, and he wanted to stay like that. The captain was still live, somewhere. Although it was more a hopeful will than facts, he would do his best till he had the evidence of the Gideon's death. He couldn't bear to lose him. It was his friend too.   
When they arrived on the planet, he had tried to reach Gideon's mind. Getting no answers at all, he had begun to imagine the worst, something he had refused to think about since the captain's disappearance. The most terrifying in all of this, was to be uncertain of everything. They didn't know his exact position, when they had lost the contact. His health conditions was too difficult to speculate, even with the radiations factor and the captain stamina, nothing was quite sure. And this was really tearing him inside. With his telepath skills, he hadn't even a faint echo of Gideon or a presence fading, just nothing at all.   
As the minutes went, the chances to find Gideon alive grew weaker. Although he was not a high level telepath, he should have come up with something. In the other hand, an other explanation imposed to him. The captain could be dead, explaining why he didn't get in contact with his mind, why they had no life signs at all. Matheson sighed. Even in the eventuality Gideon would be dead, at least he would do anything to find his body. The captain would have done this for any of his crew. Pushing his wrist link, he called the Excalibur.   
"Reports!" He ordered, a touch of hope in the voice, it was the only thing he had now.   
"Nothing . . . " Parasites blocked the transmission. ". . . new, Lieutenant!" a deep male voice answered. "The other research teams reported no life signs in the surroundings. "  
"Understood. " he said, sadly. "Did you find where these interferences are coming from?"  
"No lieutenant, we are working on it. . . " A stronger beat echoed, "What. . . never mind! Contact me if they find something!"  
"Yes Sir! You could be sure of that" replied the officer. Pointing out he had not forgotten the order and the importance of the task.   
Matheson's look crossed Chambers' sight. He knew he shouldn't have been so paternalistic with the officer on duty. All his hope had vanished with this call, and being careful with the crew wasn't his main priority right now. He swallowed hard as his throat began to be dry. Chambers was still in front of him, arms crossed, waiting for him to talk first. Avoiding the discussion, he called Dureena, perhaps, she, would have better news. The same kind of parasites, invaded his link. But this time, it had more power. Probably, because they were on Tolavia. Hearing her voice was reassuring, in a way, the little Zanderi was still believing Gideon was alive. She was thinking he had found a shelter only she could think of. But where, wondered Matheson, where was he damn it!  
As Dureena told him, she was in a very weird place, comparing to all the planet. Perry and her had taken the beaten track leading them to this verdant place. It was in a small courtyard , where they discovered an amazing statue, she was as weird as the rest of the planet. None of them had seen this kind of alien before, or it was more in a couple of fairies tales for all than Perry told her.   
"Is there any traces of the captain?" asked Matheson, cutting in the statue's description.   
"Nothing so far, " replied Dureena. "although there's a lot of spot to hide from the sun, here. That will take me sometimes to check each one, I'll. . . "  
Matheson exchanged an anxious look with Chambers. What was going on? Then, Dureena's voice sounded.   
"I may have found something, Matheson! You should come as soon as possible!" she finished, excited.   
"Right away!!" he said, a bit of hope sparkled in his blue eyes noted Chambers, as she followed the young officer.   
  
********************  
  
Dureena had been unable to wait for Matheson any longer. She had talked to him ten minutes ago, and now she wanted to follow her instinct; descend and see what this well could conceal. That's why she decided to go and check out. Standing close to a wall, she asked Perry to wait for Matheson while she was going inside the hole. The pilot opposed to her decision, but it was like talking to a brick wall. It really didn't bothered her if he agreed or not. She was not a military, obey to orders wasn't her favourite call.   
With her skill, it didn't take her too long to get use to the obscurity. Holding herself by the rope she had thought to bring with her, she felt the moisture sticking at her skin. Deliberately, she relaxed her hold on the rope, sliding along it, slowly. Her left hand slowing down the descent, each time she squeezed it. Progressively, Perry's light dimmed from the opening. Her own torchlight had just got enough power to light the damp wall against her. Below her, it was too gloomy to catch anything with this ray of light.   
After few minutes, her feet touched a floor. Quickly, she recognized wood after the sound it made when she stepped on it. Reassuring her grip to the rope, she tested the floor solidity. It sounded hollow. As she thought, the wooden board crushed under her steps as she got closer to the centre. Briefly, she had the time to see a large hole in the middle of the wooden floor as her torchlight lightened it. When the board's remains disappeared below her, Dureena stayed hanged by the rope, her feet swinging dangerously in the empty space.   
Finally, fifteen minutes and two calls from Perry later, she sensed she was close to something. Her breath's echo was different. She knew the space around her had grown larger, meaning she was no longer in a vertical bowel. Rocks appeared below her, cutting from the darkness. Sliding from the rope, Dureena received herself softly on the stack of stones, one knee down. The rope swung behind her. She lifted a small red lock from her eyes. As she recorded, she was on the top of rocks. The stack mixed with pieces of wood, probably from the floor she encountered before. The rocks were in the middle of a larger room, some kind of cave, thought Dureena.   
She had learnt a lot of things about herself and her possibility in similar caves. It was a long time ago, where she trained with her master to become a thief.   
Everywhere the torch went, she saw walls, damped and veined of green. Going closer to it, she noted a kind of green quartz. She had never seen one like that before. "Strange" she thought. If Max had been there, he would have known exactly what it was. Damn, she wasn't thinking right, if she thought about Eilerson. The least she saw him, the better she felt.   
Her wrist link awoke her, pulling the zanderi out of her thoughts. Matheson's angry voice sounded in the cave.   
"What in the hell do you think you're doing, Dureena?" she could hear he was out breath, as if he had just taken a ten miles run. "I thought I told you to wait for me! We have already lost the captain, I can't afford to lose one more member of the crew now!"  
She smiled. Once, she lost herself. At that time, she was only four. She would have found the way back to the Excalibur, without Matheson's help. "I'm not lost!" smirked Dureena.   
"You know what I meant!" barked Matheson. He took a beat to calm down. "Alright, since you're already down there, what did you find?"  
"I didn't find anything so far, I'm sorry!" she said sadly. "There is no traces of the captain's presence!" As Dureena finished, Matheson and Chambers let out their breath, sighing.   
"Understood. . . " A shadow passed in his eyes. "Tied yourself to the rope, we'll pull you out of this mess!" He turned to Sarah. She gave him back his sight full of sorrow and sadness.   
"It's not over yet, John" said Sarah, comforting him.   
"I know Doc. " grateful for her effort.   
"I'm ready. " sounded Dureena in his wrist link.   
Matheson walked to the wall. Perry was waiting him, holding the rope, still tied to the base of the wall. Matheson looked up, the stars glowed over him. The night was cooler than their arrival. He bent to grab the rope. With a nod, Perry began to pull it, in rhythm with his superior. Suddenly, Dureena yelled something. They stopped in the middle of their effort.   
"Wait!!" she screamed.   
The rope in both hands, Matheson glanced at Chambers, incredulous. "What's going on?"  
"There's a tunnel! I see the entrance, stop lifting me!" They were all stunned at the answer.   
"A tunnel?" wondered Matheson, unsure.   
"Yes, it's a tunnel!. . Give me sometime to explore it, will you!"  
"OK, but stay in touch!. . . Dureena?" Chambers gazed at the Matheson, worry.   
"What's wrong?" she asked.   
She saw him reaching his wrist link, anxious. He touched it. As for answer, he only got parasites and a weird beat.   
"It's probably because of the tunnel" said Perry, "We had a lot of problem this last couples hours. It made impossible to scan the planet's core. We thought it was the solar interferences till now! Could be the rocks themselves. . . in fact, we're not quite sure. " Perry nodded to Chambers. She was checking her data.   
"He's true, I can't get any readings on my pad! It's really weird. "  
"I see. " whispered Matheson, for himself.   
"I'm sure she'll find a way to contact us if she's got any problem" replied Sarah Chambers.   
Matheson nodded. Once more, he'll have to wait for his friends to get out by their own. If this mission has to go on like that for a long time, he wasn't sure he won't lose his sake in the way.   
  
********************  
  
As soon as she entered the tunnel, Matheson's voice faded as the gloom grew. The only thing she obtained from her wrist link, was beating parasites. She was on her own now. Not that it troubled her in anyways, she's got used to. Only, she would have appreciated to be able to call them, in case of something happens. You'd never know when you needed help. Besides, Sarah, and John especially, were tensed since Gideon disappeared. She hated to give them more to be concerned. It was too late to go back and explain. Anyhow, they'll understand.   
Penetrating deeper in the bowel's obscurity, she lighted her way, looking at the walls. They were similar to the place she'd just come from. Nevertheless, these walls were very different. More green quartz veined encrusted the rocks, where water was pouring from the top, noted Dureena. The atmosphere was loud, charged with humidity. The earthly smell filled the atmosphere, warm and sticking to the skin. The heat of the day was probably the cause. In this sauna, she regretted the coolness of the wind up there. This planet was really full of contrast.   
Dureena's walk was beginning heavier. As she looked at her feet, she discovered the ground was now, covered with mud, sticking at her boots. Her heels sank a little in a splash equal to the sucking thud she made, when she got her feet out of the slimy mud. It was like the tunnel had been dug inside the whole rock , then, covered by mud and sand from thousands of feet. Probably due to lots of passages, a long time ago.   
  
********************  
  
Although she was walking since fifteen minutes, she didn't have trouble to manage the mud now. As close as she could from the rock, where the floor wasn't so damp, she found a way to walk easily. Abruptly, she stopped. She felt something gluing her fingers. Bringing her hand into the ray of her torchlight, she stayed stunned. It was blood. Gideon's blood perhaps. On the wall, the light showed her some traces of blood as well. As she noted, the blood was still moist. This could mean Gideon had been there few hours before. It couldn't be old bloody traces from an other person's path. This was fresh and she could bet it was from Gideon. "So, he finally manages to go this far! I was right! Again!" she muttered, a little smile appeared on her face. "That man. . . " he always surprised her. His skills and his adaptation were very far beyond what she had expected when she first met him.   
Resuming her course, she aimed right into the gloomy entrails, before her. Inside this obscurity it will be difficult to find him if the bowels had to grow larger, as the previous room. So, she decided to slow down her pace, to check every dark spots, hidden from her light. She rummaged huge rocks protruding from the wall, they had surely fallen from the top of the tunnel, time loosening them.   
After a moment, the tunnel began to be regular, with no hiding places. She accelerated, almost running. Her heart beating harder at each new stride. A small cloud took shape in front of her mouth. The temperature had dropped so fast, the walls were covered by a thick layer of frost. It was really chilly now, and running was keeping her to froze on the spot.   
She began to worry, she had found no captain, and was really deep inside the tunnel. "How the hell did he get so far" she puffed. Being arrived so deep, she wondered if she hadn't missed the captain, curled up in a corner.   
The echo of her breath fainted into the gloom. She stood under an arch, the entrance of a new cavern.   
"Matthew, "she called, her voice echoing thru the grotto. She tended the ear, no answer came back. Lightening the place in the seek of the captain, she remarked the same green quartz everywhere. Although it had weird position. Some in triangle shapes, others round, even in square, laid on the floor. Other emerald shapes were set near a hotel, in the centre of the cavern. Even the ground, was in this kind of quartz. She felt as she had been trapped in a giant gem. She wondered if the aliens who built this had brought that quartz or if they'd just dug inside the whole greenish rock.   
She aimed her light beam at the centre of the room, at the hotel. Suddenly, a chain reaction started. The gem facet reflected the light in various directions, flooding the entire place with a green soft lighting. In the base of it, she saw a black human shape. "Matthew" she whispered.   
As she feared, he wasn't moving, turned, face down to the mud. She bent to him and reached for his pulse. She relieved her breath as she found his pulse beating. It was very faint but still, he was alive.   
His back was covered of multiple wounds. Everywhere his jacket was torn, showing large bloody cuts. Gently, she turned him over, his lifeless head rolling to the other side. An other sore gashed his forehead. The blood had dried, sticking his brown hair with mud. He looked very pale, even with the green light. She called his name few times, trying to wake him up. He was really hot, his forehead burning like embers.   
"Hold on Matthew! I'll get help. . . " She squeezed his hand. "I will be back soon!" she grabbed the torchlight and ran.   
  
********************  
  
Tensed, Matheson and three security guards where standing around the hole. As soon as he'd lost the contact with Dureena, he had called the Excalibur. He was concerned about the Zanderi, possibly trapped below, unable to call. With the captain's missing, he had become more cautious, double checking everything. In the middle of all of this, the little Zanderi was the vivid proof of it. He had no control on the course of the events, specially on her. How could Gideon manage that everyday? He had no clues. One thing was sure, he preferred to be the second in command.   
Then, he had called to have reinforcements, useful if she was trapped below. Thirty minutes later, a shuttle landed. Four people joined him. Three security guards in case of more Dureena's rashness actions. The other one, was from Sarah's team specialist in high radiation burns. As Chambers was explaining the situation to the radiation's specialist, Dureena sounded in her wrist link.   
"I found him. . . " she managed to say, puffing, ". . . he's barely breathing, but he's alive!"  
When he heard Dureena, Matheson let away a sigh of relieve, crossing Chambers' eyes. Dureena asked if he could send help. She couldn't bring him back by herself. Besides, he had broken bones, and move him couldn't be wise. Chambers convinced Matheson to let her go down. She was the only one who could really do something for him, right now. That's why he let Chambers going inside the hole, and was now waiting for her to call.   
An other shuttle landed next to the ruins, dusting the last remains of what had been the Tolavian's civilization. New members exited, carrying more medical device. He showed them the hole. They stopped near, and installed a small crane in triangle over the opening. One of the men, descended with the rope, now tied by the extremity to the crane's centre. When he reached the ground, the others send him the medical devices.   
After half an hour of neverending wait, Chambers called. She asked them to be prepared to pull the captain out of this mess. In the meantime, she warned them. They had to be very careful, Gideon's conditions were really appalling.   



	3. Mystery luck

Voices, colored in lights were mixing in his head. He could swear, he heard Sarah speaking. Her voice was rugged, loud. He catched some of the speak, most words than sentences: "Excalibur... Matt... hold on... hear me... " He knew she addressed to him, she had told him something important, but the meaning seemed to melt with the colors around him. A thud beat, somewhere, pulsed. It grew harder. The sound was becoming close. "Something's wrong" thought Gideon.   
"Captain ?" this time he was sure he heard someone. A woman's voice. In the tone, he seemed to recognize Dureena's. He wanted to answer, instead no sound came out of his mouth. He couldn't speak. What was going on? He tried to check his jaw. A fall, he remembered a fall now. He probably had hurt his head, that's why he could not answer, surely he had broken his jaw. Where his hand should have touch his jaw, he felt nothing. Both hands met the void. He has no jaw, as well as no head too. "Can't be!" He worried. He could see bright colors around him. Looking down, he didn't see his feet. His legs weren't there too. Speaking of it, he realized he had no hands. He couldn't see his body at all. Just a mist, white milky mist where his body should have be.   
Everywhere he was glancing, a palette of infinite colors was revealing, blossoming in a huge whirlpool of magenta, golden yellow, shining green emerald, blurring into an ocean of blue turquoise.   
"I'm dead" he thought. He felt him floating, melting in the blooming rainbow. Somewhere, a voice was calling him. He ignored it. Blending with the colored in blaze of light, he wasn't feeling concerned about the call. For the first time since the Cerberus had been blown out by an unknown ship, he felt peace.   
The thud beat recurred again. This time, he heard it, loud and clear. He felt enveloped by the pulsing light. A sphere of warmth and peacefulness surrounded him. He knew that all he had to do was to embrace it. Then, he would be free. Free from his responsibility, free from all his engagements, free forever.   
  
********************  
  
Matheson was looking feverishly at Sarah. Catching each of her sight. He wanted to know. Bent over the captain, she helped her assistant to strap Gideon into the stretcher. They succeeded to pull him out of the cavern without too many troubles. Bringing him to the surface had been really difficult. Now that he was laying on the grass, she was checking his pulse as well as the wounds. Since they found him, he hadn't recovered consciousness. This was worrying Chambers. He was in a very bad shape and she didn't know if she could save him.   
She looked at the men around Gideon, she nodded. At her signal, they picked him up, one before the stretcher, the second man taking the other side. They headed to the shuttle. The engine throbbed as they engulfed inside. Matheson closed the door and sat quickly. He met Sarah's eyes.   
She had tried to avoid his sight since she came back with Dureena. Sadness and anxiety were filling her eyes. She wanted to comfort John, tell him Gideon would be fine, but she had no great hopes to save him. In fact, when she had read the data flooding her pad, she had thought it was too late. So, how could she be able to look into his deep blue eyes and tell him, his captain was going to die.   
Nervously, she pushed on several buttons from her pad, it was full of parasites again. Finally, she was able to gather the information she wanted. "I'm sorry" she said, seeing the last data.   
Matheson gazed at her, fear in his eyes. "He's going to make it, Doc! I know he won't leave us alone" He looked at Gideon, laid unconscious in the stretcher. "He's with us now, he knows it. " His tone was more to convince him, than what he really thought. Inside, he was burning of anger and rage. He knew Gideon was at the edge. His mind was escaping to Matheson's telepathic contact. As he tried again, something hindered the telepath to reach his captain's mind.   
Suddenly as he'd been strike by a PPG, everything went blank. "John" called Sarah. "Are you alright ?"  
He stared at her, almost as he wasn't there. "What?" he muttered, confused. His eyes sparkled as he realized what happened. Something powerful had thrown him away from his telepathic link. He had never seen that, even when he was with the psi-corp. "Could you see if nothing weird appears in the data?" he asked, upset.   
She checked the data "Despite the endless interferences I have nothing weird on it!"  
She whispered something, then check the data again. As she saw, his pulse was slowing down. The bleeding didn't stop, even with what she had done to him, he was weakening. She let out a hopeless sigh.   
The pilot announced they were arriving into the docking bay.   
It was not too late, thought Sarah, Gideon was still holding on. She didn't imagine he could resist till the Excalibur. This was incredible. She hoped he would hold on until they'd reached the med bay.   
  
********************  
  
"Hurry !" she yelled, "lay him on this!" showing the med bed. Two medical assistant removed stains from Gideon's from the stretcher and lifted him. Gently, they laid the captain on the bed.   
Quickly, Chambers had changed to put her regular blue shirt. Her long ebony hair gathered in a pony tail, swinging on her shoulders.   
In her way to the bed, she grabbed an other pad. Over Gideon, she began to run a bio scan. Her assistant, a young auburn girl, brought medical recorders surmounted of monitors. She connected them to Gideon's harms and forehead. Other doctors came in and activated them, reading the data.   
"His pulse is rapidly dropping, doctor, " the young assistant said. Her face was crisped and nervous, signs of lack of experience.   
Chambers glanced at the monitors, a body map appeared. Several red points twitched on different body location. Most of them in the chest and head area.   
"I can't stop the bleeding !" Chambers gave a quick look at Matheson, behind the glass window. He was standing there alone. A desperate look printed on the face.   
"Diana, let's try with the laser, you... " An alarm sounded.   
"His heart has stopped !" screamed the young assistant.   
Sarah took two white lozenge and stuck them on Gideon, one on the chest near the heat, and the other on the left side. "Put on fifty percent, " she ordered "now !"  
Gideon trembled as the electricity got through his body, which lifted up and down from the bed. His flat line jumped. A look at the monitor taught Sarah it didn't work. "Come on, Matt !" she nodded to Diana. "Again !"   
She watched nervously the monitor as the flat line went up and down once more, Matthew's chest raised with the shock. Then, he fell back weightily, his head falling on the side, his eyes still closed.   
"One hundred !" yelled Sarah, "let's go !" They all moved aside as the electricity was running through Gideon.   
The shock was awful, his body convulsed and arched as he was restrained by his wrist tied on the bed. This time he made a thud sound as he landed hardly on the medical bed, lifeless.   
"We've lost him !" cried Chambers' assistant.   
  
********************  
  
Matheson had raced with the medical team to the med bay as fast as they could whereas the Excalibur crew was avoiding them in the corridors. He saw many known faces, most of them were looking concern. They all knew who was in the stretcher, and as they always did, they were getting away from the medical team, each time the Excalibur was having medical emergency, like this one. This was giving more room for the med team as well as buying them more time. Each member of a star ship, as this one, was being well aware it could be them in the stretcher the next time. And time was being the only difference between life and death.   
When he had the opportunity, Matheson was checking his captain condition by the way Chambers was giving her orders. Two large lines was now crossing Sarah's forehead. It seemed to him, she became older in the past few hours. Her face was tensed. She'd been avoiding his sight since they'd come back.   
As they entered the med bay, he headed to the large glass, in the other side of the surgical room. The medical staff was the only people allowed to get in. Three doctors rushed into the surgical room, one of them pulled a medical recorder with screen. As soon as they were inside they fussed around Gideon, connecting him to different medical device.   
Then, Sarah's voice clanged thru the room. They were busy over Gideon, laid on the med bed.   
Suddenly an alarm echoed in the med bay. The medical staff gathered around Sarah, alarmed. He watched as Sarah and the other doctors were fighting to bring Gideon alive. He heard them saying they were losing him. He saw their terrible faces as they knew they'd failed, at that precise time, he learnt the life could be really cruel, taking away a whole bunch of his soul with it. He leant on the window, his hands clawed at the cold glass.   
  
********************  
  
The last half an hour in the emergency room, Sarah and the medical staff had done their best to bring back Gideon, but it hadn't been enough. Finally, Sarah bent over him, to see his face one last time. Gently, she brought back a brown lock, clearing his forehead. Then, she pulled a white sheet over his body, covering his bruised body.   
Heading to Matheson still, leant on the pane of glass, she wondered how this had happened. A week ago, she'd never imagined this would happen.   
Now, Matheson was in front of her, livid. He already knew what she was going to say, thought Sarah.   
"His heart stood still, " she gazed at him intensely, waiting a response. "I'm sorry John. ... We did our best, but he was too exhausted to resist any longer. He fought to the end... I'm really sorry!"  
Matheson stared at her, unable to interact. His best friend was laid dead under a sheet, what could he say? Sarah respected that, that's why she let a silence between them for a while.   
"It can't be Sarah !" he whispered, "it's a nightmare !" his eyes filled with tears.   
Dureena approached, her eyes moist. She had stayed apart as Sarah had been busy with Gideon. She had no desire to bother them, though he was her friend, or kind of. To a zanderi, friendship was something hard to describe, even harder to understand. Sarah peeped at her.   
Then, John seemed awoke. "Let me see him " he murmured. She closed her eyes at John's demand, it was difficult for her too. She nodded. The three of them headed to the bio bed, where Gideon's lifeless body was now resting.   
A medical recorder beeped. Few seconds later, an other one beeped too. The nurse near the device, stared at them. She pressed on one button, turning the monitor off. The screen went black. Then, it switched on again. She considered it a moment.   
"What are you doing ?" asked Sarah, in her back.   
"Nothing !" replied the nurse. "I was disconnecting them when they switched on. "  
The monitor turned on again. Chambers regarded her, then the monitor.   
"Look !" said the nurse, waving at the screen, "it happens again!"  
"What's going on ?" asked Dureena, with a gaze look.   
Suddenly, all the monitors in the room switched on. The screen lighted, pulsing in rhythm.   
"What. . . " began Sarah. Then, all the med bay lights blinked.   
The place was looking like a Christmas tree. The lights, finally went off, putting the med lab into gloom. They could hardly see each other in this darkness. Somewhere in the room, Matheson heard a nurse cried, panicked.   
Then, the backup battery restored the light, though, it was more a red soft light. A veil atmosphere filled the place. A buzzing echoed in the emergency room where Matheson, Sarah and Dureena were standing still, surprised by the new events.   
A small yellow sphere took shape over Gideon's body, lifting a light breeze. The sphere as big as a tennis ball, glowed from inside, pulsing. Then, the slight breeze changed, lifting pads, scalpels, throwing them through the room in a terrible mess. Dureena plunged to the floor, as Matheson pushed Chambers, his arm around her shoulders. The pads and scalpel made a thud noise as they banged into the window. The sheet covering Gideon's body slid slowly to the ground, revealing his livid, bloody face.   
The sphere floated to Gideon's chest. A blue inner light appeared in the centre, concentrated in the sphere's heart. Then, she collapsed, wiping the remain monitors still standing. In a gush of sparks, the screen exploded as they touched the floor. A wide blow of energy enlightened the med bay, bluish lightning came from the sphere location before she vanished. The rays shook the window as the lightning went through it, throwing pieces of glasses all around. Sounds of water drops falling from a cliff echoed.   
Matheson peeped over Gideon's bed. Screams sounded as well as cries and fear spread inside the med bay. He felt in a middle of a nightmare. The lightning strolled between the crew as they were directed by an invisible force. The med staff managed to stay lay on the floor, covered with breaking of glass, as the lightning turned over their heads.   
In a jiffy, the lightning plunged to the main computer. The buzzing seemed to faint, though the sphere widened. Then, the lights went off as the lightning jerked from the computer. In a shriek, they headed to the sphere. The collision between both shook the med lab, throwing Matheson right back to the floor. As he fell over Sarah, the sphere exploded, crushed in her centre. Large, blue circles appeared around the sphere, widening. As the sphere faded into darkness five green light beams appeared, striking monitors, computers in the room. The atmosphere was filled with electricity. It made Matheson's hair stood on end. Then, the monitors and the main computer burst out on fire. Golden sparks jerked in all the corner of the med bay. The energy beams diminished, narrowing till they became a thin line of light, then nothing else. Obscurity ruled the place.   
The buzzing fainted to a whisper. A smaller sphere appeared, she glowed and pulsed, switching colors. Going from blue to yellow and finally she turned dark green. No sounds escaped from it.   
In a last unexpected move, she disintegrated into Gideon's chest. Only the silence remained in the med bay.   
"What was that?" wondered Dureena, glancing at Sarah and John. None of them as an answer for her. They looked puzzled and stunned by what they'd just seen.   
As she raised to her feet, Sarah grabbed a pad. As she always did in this kind of situation, she ran it on everyone in the room. First on Matheson, then on Dureena.   
"You'll be fine!" she confirmed to them.   
Mechanically, she ran her pad on the nurse and then on Gideon. As she did so, her eyebrows raised. The pad had picked up something, which was impossible. Carefully, she checked the pad as the data appeared on the screen. She stayed still mute.   
"Sarah?" worried Matheson.   
She turned to him, a slight smile was enlightening her face. Her eyes were moist when she finally answer to him.   
"Matthew is breathing!" Dureena turned to them at the amazing news, stunned. Matheson's eyes widened as he'd just awaken from a nightmare.   
"I knew he wouldn't let us down!"  
  
********************  
  
Galen burst in the med lab, glancing with anger all around him. Chambers was there, busy with a patient. She stared at him, surprised about his remarked entrance. She smiled to the patient leant on the bio bed, then she turned to Galen with a questioning look. As she headed toward him, she perceived his concern glowing in his deep blue eyes.   
He was looking very nervous and angry as well, though the crew used to see him angry sometime, they never saw him so nervous. She remembered the last time he had this look, few hours later she'd had to perform an autopsy on death crewmate. He had been right for the danger, but none of them had listened at that time. Now, she didn't know why he could be so angry, and after who. He couldn't know for Gideon, she wondered, though he amazed her a couple of time.   
Staring at her in a middle of the med bay, she saw he had taken off his black hooded cloak, revealing his scoured skull. His black robe falling to his feet.   
"Where is Matthew?" he voiced, his tone implying a quick answer. Chambers stared at him, pensive.   
"I've been obliged to put him in stases. " she replied.   
Galen gave her his worst sight. As he'd feared when he had lost contact with the probes he had left on Matthew, something had happened. He swallowed as his throat narrowed.   
"May I see him?" he said, taking back the control of his voice.   
Chambers nodded. "He's been badly injured, " she said, walking to the stases area. "We. . " Galen peeped at her as she faltered on the words ". . almost lost him!" she finished.   
Suddenly, he shuddered, his fears had been real all along. He had rushed toward the Excalibur, hoping it was only interferences jamming the probe, but it was not.   
A nurse crossed their way, she nodded to Chambers, then when she saw the technomage, she lowered her sight. The Excalibur crew didn't know how to behave with him. Before he brought his help to save Earth, they never encountered any technomage, especially since they were gone in the beginning of the shadow war. Galen did as he hadn't noticed her discomfort. The crew's behaviour was far beyond his thoughts right now.   
He followed Chambers into a soft lighted room. Then, in a middle of medical devices, he saw him, laid on a med bed. Connected to several devices, Gideon was covered with a blue sheet. His head leant on a thin pillow under his neck and his arms over the sheet, as they were linked to the monitor. An oxygen mask tied to his face, Galen could see from where he was, his heartbeats on the screen, slow and very spaced out.   
"Matthew?" he wondered slightly.   
"He can't talk, Galen!" said Chambers sadly. "He's in a coma. "   
Galen stared at Chambers, understanding the implications.   
"Will he live?" asking what was burning his lips.   
"It's too soon to be sure, " she replied, feeling uneasy. "As I told you, he is still on the edge. He may collapse at any time. For now, I keep an eye on him with the monitor. It's all I really can do. The rest is up to him. "  
Galen gave a glance at the soft lighted room. He had always thought this would happen one day, Matthew was too rash, to avoid every trap his mission was giving him. And now, seeing his friend laid in this state, fighting between life and death, he'd had rather be wrong.   
He turned to Chambers "What happened? When I left I thought you were going to visit an other dead planet, so how could this be?" he asked, gazing at Chambers.   
"We did!" she sighed. "Then, Max found ruins a week ago. So Matt has decided to stay, and to check the place. " she took a pause. "Two days ago, Matt said the ruins were going nowhere. To Max's demand, we stayed a couple of hours more to let him finish his excavation. As Max was digging to find evidences of the Drahk's plague, Matt took off for a walk. " She looked at Galen, who was still keeping his sight on the unconscious shape in the middle of the room.   
"Then?" he said, asking her to resume.   
Chambers regarded her pad, she was monitoring different patient in the same time she was telling the events.   
"Then, we lost contact with Matt. The time for the planet to rotate, we began the search. When we finally found him, he was in this state. We don't know what happened on the planet, while the time he was left alone. " she waited a moment, then she resumed, "Luckily, he was beneath the rock's surface when we discovered him. It's protected him from the radiations. "   
Galen looked at her, thinking. She stayed silent, her eyes down.  
"I'd like to stay alone with him " said Galen.  
"He can't hear you, Galen " answered Chambers.  
"I know !" he replied, his sight lost.  
Chambers nodded, then she left the stases room, leaving the technomage alone in the dark, red soft light. Galen breathed slowly. His staff in the left hand, he crossed the room toward Gideon's bed, making a thud sound each time his staff was touching the floor.  
His gaze went to the recorder, next to Gideon's head, then to his friend. He frowned. On the monitor, Gideon's heartbeats were regulars, as the line went up and down. He stared at the screen, he was almost certain he had seen something, some kind of hollow beat. He focused on the screen, his attention driven by the line. All his senses in alert, checking for the slightly difference that could appear.  
After five minutes at looking at the screen, Galen understood the problem. He had really picked up a hollow beat. Gideon's heartbeats were normal, in fact they were too regulars for someone in this condition. There was something else making this ghost pulse.  
He wondered where his friend had been all the time he was on the planet. Perhaps, the crew had brought back something with Gideon, could be a powerful spirit attached to Gideon.  
Galen decided it was time for him to see if he was right. Chambers had put on the stained window to give him some privacy. That didn't matter to him than someone might see him here. All he wanted, was to have nobody to assist to his spell, no one should know.   
With an opened hand over Gideon's face, palm down, and the other gripped to his magic staff, he tried to find where was the energy in the room. Galen's eyes were closed, his face showing no effort. He muttered words in the ancient technomage language, casting the spell. A breeze filled the room as the spell was spreading.  
Even with the eyes closed, Galen could see the room, his friend laid before him. He scanned the room, searching for any residual energy. then, he opened the eyes, a curious look glowing inside, he sighed. Nothing, he had found no spirit or energy in the room beside himself and Gideon's.   
This discovery troubled him. Only one place remained for the energy to hide, and that horrified him. If the energy wasn't in the room, then the only place where the energy could still interact with his friend, was inside his body. He let go a long breath. This was going to be very hard to pull out the energy from his friend's body. Worst of all, he didn't know if he had the ability to reverse the changes occurring in his friend. He might not have the power to solve this at all, and this was really freaking him out.  
He turned his sight to the door, perhaps he would find more to help on the place where the medical team had found Gideon.   
  
********************  
  
When he exited the stases room, Galen found Chambers checking a monitor. As the room was empty, he deduced she was probably waiting for him. Then, he walked toward her, his pace echoing the room.  
She raised her eyes on him. "Do you think as a technomage that you could do something for him?"  
Galen regarded her pretty face, pensive. "I tried all I know, that didn't make the slightly ness difference. You just have to see his state to understand my concern." said Chambers.  
The technomage stared at her, confused. She was thinking it was her fault if Matthew was still in the coma, thought Galen. Why the humans were feeling guilty every time they thought the fight was being lost? Galen wondered if it wasn't helping them to keep the control on the life. Anyway, he had more in head than questioning himself about that kind of things.   
He gave the ghost of a smile, "I do not think it's your fault, Sarah. And perhaps it might help if you know where they found Matthew!"   
She gazed at him intensely, "Max went back to the planet. He's in the cavern where Dureena found Matt. He said he wanted to see the symbols engraved in the stone. "  
Suddenly, Galen's face seemed enlightened by the news. Then, he would have to find Eilerson to see if he was right, he thought.  
  



	4. Let's go !

The tunnel was dark and humid, someone had hung small lights on the wall to diminish the obscurity, though it wasn't enough to see where you were putting your feet. Galen muttered few words, a globe took shape over his palm. The ball radiated a bright, shining yellow light from inside.   
" Now that's better ! " whispered the technomage, a slight smile on the lips.  
After a long walk, he began to hear voices far away before him. It was probably Eilerson and some members from the Excalibur. With a quick move, he closed his hand. The shining globe vanished, only the green light from the cavern stayed, enlightening Galen's step.  
" I never saw that anywhere ! " exclaimed a young man, as Galen entered the place.  
What he saw amazed him. At first he had thought Sarah had exaggerated in the cave's description, brooding on what she had felt when she entered the first time. Now, he wasn't so sure. This place concealed some kind of magic. He turned his head to the right. His sight went to Max Eilerson, Who was leaning on the green wall, a pad in one hand, the other stroking the stone.   
" I can't believe this ! " yelled the xenoarcheologist. He turned to face his assistants behind him. They were busy gathering and marking different samples. " IPX won't believe at this discovery ! " he stared at Galen, as he hadn't expected to see the technomage, his face tensed up. " You !" pointing a finger to one of his assistant, " Return to the Excalibur, and bring us more materials with you, I have to take a lot of samples from this wall! " His assistant nodded, then he engulfed inside the dark tunnel.  
" Is this the place where Dureena has found Matthew ? " asked Galen. Max faced the technomage.  
" Yes, it is ! " His look going up and down onto Galen's black robe. " Why are you here anyway ? You want a piece of these emeralds. " grinned Max.  
" Not at all ! " answered Galen, as his gaze met the green hotel in the centre of the room. " Did you find any purpose for this ? " he wondered, designing the emerald's hotel.   
" I think it's for a ritual, probably a sacrifice. Although it could be for an other religious purpose, such as a place of power for a religious artefact. " Max brought back his blond hair in a slow move.   
Galen was facing the hotel, surrounded by emeralds encrusted in the walls, as well as the floor. The time to gather all these minerals, and then encrusted them inside the cave had to have been a colossal and tedious work. Galen came closer to the hotel, glancing at the room. The hotel was warm when he put his hand on it, still radiating heat. Inside the stone, he perceived a cavity. All around the cavity's edge had been carved with symbols. Galen's fingers rolled over them. Behind him, Max intervened.  
" I checked with every language I know, and it took me a long time, to finally come to the conclusion that no human has ever met this writing, or I would have noticed it ! "  
The technomage turned to face Eilerson, " Of course ! " smirked Galen, ironically, " We all know the endless limit of your knowledge ! " Then, he stepped back, to have a general view from the cavern.  
Every inch of the emerald walls were covered by the same runes he saw on the hotel. Galen shuddered. Max came toward him.   
" Do you recognize these symbols ?" asked Max to Galen, his eyes sparking, eager of the knowledge that Galen was hiding from him.   
" None that you should be aware of ! " replied dryly the technomage. Then he turned to face the exit, his black cloak following the move in a dark wave.  
Eilerson's wrist link beeped as the technomage was ready to exit the cave.  
" Max ? " echoed Sarah's voice, " Is Galen still with you ? "   
Eilerson turned to see Galen waiting in the entry. His black hooded cloak back on his scoured skull, hiding a part of his face.   
" Yes, he's still here. Why ? " wondered Eilerson.  
" Matt has woken up ! " said the doctor Chambers. Max gazed at Galen, as stunned as he was himself.  
  
********************  
  
" Doc ? " said Gideon, confused. " What happened ? "  
" You've been in the coma for almost two days. Do you remember anything when you were on the planet ?" asked Sarah with a soft voice.  
His face was still covered with bruises and burns, making his speech painful. Sarah helped him to raise his head, putting a pillow below it. As he saw when he opened the eyes, he was in med bay. The clear colored walls, enhanced the light over him, making him to wink.  
" I remember shining colors, a tunnel, " he stopped, breathing slowly as he swallowed. His throat was burning from the inside, still the painful taste of dried blood in it. " I don't remember much. " He coughed, shaking his whole body. He felt dizzy as he tried to raise on his elbows. Chambers pushed him down to the bed, tenderly.  
" Look, Captain " she said, " you can't think you'll get up as if nothing happened. You've been clinically dead, so you should rest first ! I'll see when you will be authorized to leave my med bay !" her firm gaze weighting dully on him.  
Gideon looked puzzled, as the meaning of the words was penetrating him. Did she say, dead, he wondered. So, this had been worst than he thought.   
" All right Doc, I'll be good. Go take care of my crew, I'll wait your authorization. " He said, resting his head on the pillow unwilling to continue the discussion.  
Chambers stared at him, not used at the sudden change in Gideon's behavior. It wasn't his kind to give up so easily. "Ok, I'll come to check on you in half an hour. Don't try anything silly !" she said, frowning as she was exiting the room, the door shut behind her.   
The silence filled the room. Gideon looked up at the white ceiling. He sighed, how could he get away from here whereas he was incapable of moving his arms. His attempt to raise on his elbows had cost him a great expense in energy. He had been too exhausted to even arguing with Sarah, though he knew she'd been right since the beginning. He hadn't wanted her to find out how weak he was, she would have find curious if had not try to get away from here. He clenched his fists. He sighed again, even that, his body refused to do it. His strength had gone, drained from him, he was defenceless as well as useless. Deeply in his heart he hoped this will go away soon. Slowly the light of the ceiling began to fade, unable to keep the eyes opened, he slid into a deep sleep invaded by strange dreams.   
  
********************  
  
Matheson entered the med bay, followed by Galen, both of them looking for Chambers. As they saw her in her office, they headed to her desk, several pads were laid on, all apart the screen. She nodded at their arrival, finishing to type an other report. Then, she looked up at them, a smile on her face. Before any of them began to talk, she spoke first.  
" He's no more in danger, " she began, " If you want to see him, you'll have to wait he got enough rest before. I don't think he's fit to sustain any discussion ! "   
" How is he ?" wondered John.  
" I don't think he will able to command this ship before a week, at least. If it's what you were thinking of !" she replied, looking at John. He had rings under his eyes, sign he hadn't taken much sleep lately. As he had worried for his friend, Sarah understood how he could feel, she did worried too.  
Galen intervened " When will he be fit for a discussion ?"  
Sarah peeped at the question " I don't know, " she said, gazing at the technomage. " he's too exhausted to rest correctly. "  
Galen considered her a moment, then as she saw their astonishment she explained.  
" When I called you, his readings were regular as he seemed to get back in normal state. As I was speaking with him, I've got the impression he wanted me to leave. First I thought he wanted to sneak off the med bay. "  
Galen smiled. It was all in Matthew's way to leave even when the common sense was indicating to stay for medical reason.   
"Do you mean he didn't try to get away as he always does ?" smirked John.  
" I thought he will, that's why I asked to a security guard to call me if he got away from the room. When I got back, Matt was deeply asleep. "  
" So, for once he has listened to you Doc. " said John. " Why are you so concerned? Even the captain can change his mind. "  
She sighed, standing up. " No, I think he wanted to get rid of me for an other reason. He didn't wanted to show his weakness. As I told you before, he was stabilized, but..." Galen frowned as he saw her look, her ebony hair, untied, fell back on her neck.  
" Do you mean something change since you talked to him? " wondered Galen.  
Sarah's eyes enlightened as Galen understood what this implied. " yes, they changed, it's kind of weird. " she said, " because there're no reasons for this change. I checked with other monitors, and they gave me the same data. His vital signs are going up and down. And I don't know why ! " she said angry.  
" I think I do !" said Galen as the sights converged toward him. Matheson caught Sarah's incredulity before going back on the mysterious technomage.   
Happy to have caught their attention, Galen told them his first suspicion about the energy he had found inside Matthew.   
" Are you saying the captain he's possessed? " voiced Matheson, pacing up and down Sarah's office.  
Sarah stared at Galen, wondering if the technomage had not loosen his mind. Then, she remembered the strange readings on the monitors. This could explain why she had so many interferences in the med bay since Matt came back. The readings on the planet were also jammed. Now, everything was taking sense, she thought,  
" How can we get this energy out of Matt, " she said addressing to Galen.  
" You can't be serious Sarah! " intervened John, amazed she could even think of the possibility of such event.  
She gazed at him. " It's got to be that, " she said. " I can't think of a better explanation for all that happened. "  
He stayed silent a moment, thinking. "If you're right how can we help him ?" asked finally John.  
" I'm not sure to have the solution. " said Galen, bringing back worry in their eyes. Seeing their look, he tried to make them understand. " My solution " he said, emphasizing the word, " could be worst than the illness. "  
Sarah peeped at Galen's words.  
" This energy is linked to him in a way I can not be sure. " he took a pause, " Once, people asked me to cut this link for a friend of them. They had found him wandering in the woods, speaking what they thought was an evil language. I was inexperienced at that time, as they had their customs, I had no desire to interfere with their culture. So I chose to help them, and did what they asked me to. Few hours after I had proceeded to the separation, the man died. " said Galen sighing. He regarded Matheson and Chambers, their looks had turned uncertain, Galen waited for them to see the implications. Then, Sarah broke the silence first.  
" I think we should wait before taking any hasty decision. " said Sarah.  
" That would be wise in fact !" replied Galen, his face closed.  
Matheson glanced at both of them. " I hope it's the best decision. " he said, nervous. " if we are wrong, "  
" Then we'll have to face it. " whispered Galen. Silent, they exchanged pale looks.  
  
********************  
  
" No, don't put this here ! There's a hole..." yelled Max, as his assistant was putting a small light generator over the hotel. "...beneath. " finished Max too late. This one crushed under the new weight, its edges blunted. The generator bent to the side, besides the assistant's effort to maintain it. The light changed of colors, as the assistant was handling it to stop the fall.  
" Don't move ! " ordered Max to his assistant. Scared to do an other blunder, the young assistant froze in the position, hoping he would keep his balance enough to satisfy his tyrannical boss.  
But, Max had already forgotten his assistant, focused on a new element. Before him, the green wall, encrusted with emeralds had changed, turned in an ocean of shining minerals. his eyes widened as he saw a pattern between the layers of emeralds. He couldn't believe what he had in front of him. A giant map of a galaxy, he deduced as he recognized small spherical objects turning around bigger ones, as planets around stars.  
" Are we recording this ?" asked anxiously Max to his assistant still holding feebly the generator.  
" Yes sir, we do. " replied the young man, gasping.  
A spark glowed in Max's eyes, hearing the answer.  
  
********************  
  
" Does anyone know why we're here ?" asked Dureena, swinging on her chair.  
" Max said it was important !" said Matheson. " He told me he had made a fantastic discovery. "  
" To Max everything is a potential great discovery that will make him a genius known in the entire universe. " said Chambers, with irony.  
" Right ! " agreed the zanderi, playing with a small curved knife on the briefing table.  
Matheson looked at the technomage sat in the other side of the table, quiet since they arrived five minutes ago. Galen had brought back his black hooded cloak. His sight hid in the dark was conferring him a mysterious aura.  
Dureena glanced at Galen, then at Matheson. " Do you think, he's going to be here today ? " she smirked.  
Suddenly, the door slid open. Max Eilerson entered the room, lost in his thoughts.   
" I have an exciting news " he said as his voices echoed the briefing room. He didn't even say hello that the xenoarcheologist had already begun his report.   
Matheson stared at him. The captain hated when he was doing that. Arriving late, and without apologizing for the delay. Max was doing as if waiting for him was as normal as waiting for the president of the new alliance. Once more, Max was testing their limits. If the man hadn't been so important for their mission, he would have already spaced him, happy to get his captain out of this spine.   
Max was still speaking. He said he had discovered a map beneath the emeralds' layers. But for now, he was unable to know where this map was beginning and most important to what it was leading. Max stared at them.  
" Don't you see what it means ? " glancing at the assembly, still quiet since the beginning. " This map could lead to a powerful artefact, as legendary as the Well of Forever. " he said, trying to drive Galen to his cause. As the technomage raised his head at the words, Max gave the ghost of a smile, thinking the mage would agree with him. He knew the Well of Forever had a special value for Galen, he didn't know which, but he was sure his arguments would convince him. Unfortunately, Dureena intervened before Galen could even talk.  
" I'm sure this is an other great 'Max's discovery', " pointed Dureena, mocking " and all you need is an other couple of days to rummage into the cave. " she said, smirking at Max.  
" The captain gave you more than two weeks, and now you're saying we should stay a little while longer ? " asked Matheson, angry. " Do you know what it cost to us to stay ? Or did you already forget ?"  
" We've almost lost Matthew on this planet, " cut Chambers, " the best thing we should do right now is to get back to the closest station and heal our wounded. " she said, describing her priorities.   
Galen was about to speak when the door opened. They all became silent, as Gideon was standing in the doorway, displaying a large smile.  
" Matt ? " voiced Chambers stunned to see him standing before her.  
Dureena turned to see Gideon in the entry, raising her head. Her hand had stopped to play with her knife. Even Max was mute, standing up, he had to take a sit. Galen was sitting still, watching Gideon behind his hooded cloak. No one had thought he could get up and come so soon as Chambers had told them about his condition. Matheson raised from his chair and walked toward his captain, unable to keep his happiness buried inside him any longer.  
" Captain, are you sure it's wise to be here in your condition ? " wondered Matheson, managing to keep safe Gideon's pride.  
Gideon smiled at him. " Don't worry John, I'm fine. " he answered, understanding his friend's concern.   
As Matheson gave him back his smile, Gideon headed to the closest chair. Sat, he glanced at them, " Are you going to stare at me all day !" he joked, making the dull atmosphere lighter. He wanted for them to see how in good shape he was. He hoped they were reassured now.   
Galen was in a corner of the room, silent. Gideon met his look, nodding to the technomage, as an old friend do when they can't talk freely. Since, Gideon entered the briefing room, Galen hadn't left him from his sight, pensive. How a man in his critical condition could move and talk as if nothing happened. The mage was puzzled. He swore to himself he would find out. Matthew's sight was strange, melted in a mist, noticed Galen as a shudder got through his back.   
Chambers grabbed her pad, ready to perform a scan on Gideon.  
" Not now, Doc. " ordered Gideon, waving a hand, " We'll have the time after this briefing, won't we? " he said, sustaining her gaze. Without saying a word, she sat next to him her pad still on. " Ok, " he resumed, " so, what is today's topic for this meeting ?" glancing at them.  
Matheson cleared his throat, his hands together, " Max has discovered a galaxy map beneath the emeralds' layers, in the cave. " As Gideon wasn't speaking, the young lieutenant continued, " He would like we stay a couple of days more. "  
Gideon frowned, " You've already gotten plenty of time, Mr Eilerson, I don't see the point of remaining here any longer ! " he said, closing the subject.   
" But, Captain ..." complained Eilerson, " It could be..."  
Gideon didn't let him the time to finish his sentence, " ...a major discovery? How many times did you say that ?" he smirked, gazing at Max. " I made my point, we will leave this orbit as soon as this meeting will end !"   
Eilerson grumbled, but Gideon's look ordered him to be silent, which he did as he sat back in his chair.  
" Is there something else ?" wondered Gideon, as he crossed his arms on his chest.  
" I will be curious to see this map. " threw Galen, surprising everyone as he hadn't speak since the beginning.  
" It could be interesting to see it, " agreed Chambers, curious.   
Gideon nodded to Max, who put his datacrystal in the computer, still looking furious. A giant screen on the wall turned on. Gideon's eyes widened as the map appeared. Max was right, he thought, it was a real galaxy map. He swallowed, he sensed a feeling of déjà-vu, but where. Galen was still staring at him, silent in his chair. Gideon focused on the map itself, trying to avoid his friend's sight. It was not the time to let the technomage entered his mind. Suddenly, Galen stopped watching him, and went to the screen. It was probably the concern for his friend that had led the technomage to gazed at him so intensely. He shouldn't worry for so little or he would become paranoid, thought Gideon.  
Then, Gideon returned his attention on Max, who was explaining why he was thinking this was a galaxy map. After five minutes of Max, describing the way he had come to this conclusion, showing to everyone his brightness, Gideon was beginning to have a headache. He stopped Max in his speech.  
" Do you know which galaxy is this? " he said, happy to stop the locomotive.  
On the side he saw Dureena, smiling at him. She, as well was tired of Max's arrogance.  
" No.." replied Max, " I have to continue the research for that. " he said, back on the subject.  
Gideon exchanged a dark look, meaning a final judgement answer. " I suggest you finish to check the galaxy's data next time, before making any hasty decision implying my ship and crew in your business !" he said, on a frozen tone.   
Max scowled as he went silent.   
" If it's all, " said Gideon as he raised from his chair, " I guess the meeting is over. Lieutenant, " addressing to Matheson, " I will wait your final reports in my quarters in two hours. " He smiled at his command staff, and got out the briefing room.  
As the door shut behind him, they were all looking stunned. In less than fifteen minutes, he had taken back his command, and no one had even thought to protest.  
  
********************  
  
Chambers rushed after him, but he was already gone, the corridor was desert. He was probably already on the bridge, she thought. Now, she would have to convince him to go to the med bay for a scan. She sighed. She didn't have time to argue with him, besides he was always finishing by saying he was the captain, and then, she could do nothing despite wait for him to come freely for the scan. So she decided to go back to the med bay, and later, when he came, then, she would managed to make him stay a little longer. She smiled at this thought.  
  
********************  
  
Galen was still quiet. Dureena was ready to leave, when Eilerson, stopped her.  
" Wow, you don't think he's right ?" he said to Dureena.  
" About you ? Of course he's right !" Then, she left the room, leaving Max alone with his ego.   
Matheson followed her soon, and Max remained alone with Galen. The technomage smiled at him as he raised from his chair. Then, in the doorway he turned to Max.  
" Shouldn't you be already working to find out where this map came from ?" smirked Galen, the door closing behind him.  
Eilerson stayed silent. This was not his day. He sighed, " I explained my point of view and they all laughed at me. What's going on here ?" he said. Then he muttered an oath as he walked toward the door.  
  
********************  
  
Entering the med bay, Chambers was amazed to see Gideon already there. She headed toward him. He gave her a large smile as he had just seen her coming. She noted he was ready for the scan, as he promised earlier. Sat on the medical bed, he raised his eyes as she stopped in front of him, his legs swaying in the empty space.  
" So Doc," he said, joking, " are you ready to perform your scan ?"  
She smiled back, her face relaxing. " That's up to you Matt !" she answered, " I never thought I will see you one day, asking me to run a scan on you !" She pressed on her pad, checking the data on the tiny screen.   
" Times change, as people do, " she looked at him, perplexed, " Besides, " he continued, " I knew you would have been on my back until I'd be done with it, so here I am. " he said, giving her his great smile.  
She nodded, with a smirk, " I see !" she replied amused. Then, she raised an eyebrow, " How did you do that ?" she asked, verifying the data, pressing on different buttons.  
" Did what ?" he replied, gazing at her.  
She raised her head from the screen, she swallowed, " You're ..." she took a pause, choosing her words, " ...heal ! " she stared at him, with big eyes.   
" Alright Doc, say the bad news ?" he said, worried. As she was still looking at him confused, he finished, " I mean, the counter effect, the other side of the coin, the thing that going to make me regret all you said before. ", becoming nervous as she didn't speak.   
She showed a big smile while the time Gideon was speaking. He stopped, waiting. " You have no reasons to stay here any longer " she said, " That's what I was telling you !"  
" You must be kidding Sarah, I know I feel well, even better than well. But as good as you are, I don't think you can heal someone like me in less than twenty four hours. "  
"I know, but that's the truth Matt, I had no matter in your recovery. " she said, stunned as he was.   
He ran his fingers through his brown hair, looking at the bed where he was sitting on. " Wow, " he let go, " I guess it means I don't need to spend more time here. " he jumped from the bed.   
" I'll have few test to check, meaning you'll have to come back. " she resumed, " But till I verify all my data, you're free to go. "  
His face lightened, " Doc, you won't have to say it twice !" he said, happy to walk out the med bay.  
" Of course, " she said behind him, as he walked toward the door, " You call me if you feel dizzy ? "   
He turned to her, still smiling " Of course. " he replied.  
" Matt, " addressing to him, " I will check on you in four hours, just to be sure. "   
" As you like Sarah. I'll be on the bridge. " he nodded to her and got out of the med bay, walking with a well assured pace to the door.  
  
********************  
  
Gideon entered the bridge, still smiling. Good news had always this effects on him. In the other hand, something was bothering him since he woke up in med bay. It was too small to take away his smile today, but he had a bad feeling about it. He nodded to the officer on the bridge as he sat in his commanding chair. The hell of his paranoia, he would see soon enough if it wasn't fake. Then, he would decide what to do about it, until this moment he would relax and appreciate the life he had. Two days ago, he had thought he was going to die. Now, he wanted to apply 'carpe diem' as if nothing had happened.  
A young female officer had sat before the main screen. She turned to face her captain. " All the shuttles have returned from Tolavia, Sir. "  
His eyes glowed " Entered the coordinates I gave you previously, and prepared to jump !" he ordered. Now, was the time to go, he didn't know where the Excalibur would end, but he was sure he had to be there on time, or else, he would regret it, he thought.  
The officer pressed few buttons, " Ready Sir. "   
" Jump ! " said Gideon, his hands clenched to the armrest, as the main screen turned red when they entered the jump hole.   
  
********************  
  
Outside, among the dark lights of the space, a red jump hole opened. The Excalibur engulfed into it, as the hyperspace sucked the ship in. Then, the space returned normal, the great, desert Tolavia remained alone as she had been the last thousands years, her sun rising for a new silent day.   



	5. Beyond the vision

  
  
  
Gideon smiled as he sat in front of the technomage, laying his tray meal on the table. The cantina was still quiet at this time of the day. The earliest shift had always this atmosphere. Galen noticed his friend had a better temper than the last few days. He knew Matthew could have avoid him today, as he did yesterday and the day before, cause the cantina was empty at this hour. So, the technomage deduced that if he had sat right before him, it would certainly mean he wanted to talk. Galen encircled his mug with his hands, looking down at the black coffee inside. He felt the warmth from it, creeping along his arms to his shoulders. He sipped a bit as small clouds got away from his cup. He pulled a face. He never liked the taste very much, but he got used to it, mostly to fade in with the Excalibur's crew.  
" Don't like our coffee ?" smirked Matthew, using his fork to play with his pancakes.  
Galen raised his sight on him, " It's got an awful taste sometimes, as today. But it's always a pleasure to share it with a friend when this one finally shows up. " he said, staring at Matthew.  
The captain did as he had not heard the technomage, pushing a piece of his pancake on the side of his plate among the strawberries. He had hoped Galen would not come up with this topic so soon. He had so many things in mind this last days, he wanted to explain his behavior to his friend, tell him what was pushing him inside. But every time he had wanted to, the technomage wasn't there, or could it be that he had avoided Galen, unconsciously? If it was the case he would find out now, hoping his friend would not think he had become crazy.  
He was about to speak, when an idea struck his brain. Galen knew something was going on, and he hadn't dared ask him. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with anger he had never thought he could have toward the technomage. Furious he tried to avoid his friend's sight, looking down to his meal. He didn't want him to see he understood Galen's plan to trap him. Then, he stood up and grabbed his tray meal. He had to leave quickly. Conscious he had moved too harshly, he spoke as if nothing happened.   
" I have to go, " he said, apologizing for his departure, " I have just the time to arrive for my shift. " He tried to smile, " The captain must show the good example. ", he joked, avoiding Galen's sight.  
Galen looked at him as he crossed the cantina to reach the opposite door, leaving his tray meal on a small table already encumbered with other tray meal. He frowned as the captain disappeared behind the door. He never saw his friend so tense. He knew he pushed his friend off the limits sometimes, but today he hadn't especially mean to be rude. One second Matthew was joking, and the next one he was like if he had learnt he would never find a cure to the plague. Galen plunged his lips in his smoking coffee, sipping once more this typical human beverage. At least when the thing tasted bad like this coffee, they couldn't be worst, hoped the technomage thinking about his friend.  
  
********************  
  
He was happy to find his quarters, though he had no major problems during his shift. But still, he felt a little bit tired. The door shut behind him, leaving Gideon in a total obscurity.  
" Lights ! " He ordered to the computer. A beep confirmed his order, as the light came up.  
He walked toward his desk, where a stack of files was waiting for him. Turning on the screen, he stared at his schedule, then peeped at the mountain of files on the desk, he snarled as he sat in his armchair. He was late in the papers. Having this accident hadn't helped to descend the stack. Worst, he had a whole bunch of this coming in two hours, the weekly reports. As he had already the day to day reports on the right side, the new reports would just stack on the other side of his desk. He sighed deeply. He hated the bumf, it was the bad side of his charge. As you gain more responsibility, you gain more forms to read and fill. It was the same for Lochley, on Babylon 5. He smiled as he remembered his last visit on the station. When he found what he was looking for, he promised to himself he would go to Babylon 5, and take a long leave, the crew needed this rest too as well as he did.   
Matheson would not come to give the reports before an hour, so he had the time to take a shower, and perhaps read some of this paper work. He turned off the computer and the screen blinked off. Then, he raised and headed to the shower, taking off his black jacket. He threw it on the bed with one hand. He was about to do the same with his red shirt, but he saw his quarters changing before his eyes, melting under the heat rising from him. Then, the room faded into darkness. He gasped, feeling a heavy pressure on his back. Reeling, he fell on his knees, his hands apart, his head between, sucking the sweltering heat to breath.  
Suddenly, white and shining points appeared. Instead of his quarters he was now in the void of space, surrounded with stars. He blinked, a red planet cut into the space. Two moons orbited around the planet. His heart raced in his chest as he came closer to the surface. He saw only one continent surrounded by a vaste sea, having the color of the ruby. In the north a terrible thunderstorm was forming, emerging from the pole as the lightning streaked through the dark, brown clouds. Then, the image dimmed as he was pulled back.  
His quarters reappeared, he felt the coldness of the metal under his fingers. His mouth was completely dried. Head down, he swallowed greedily a blast of cold air. Drops of sweat fell from his face to the floor, filling a puddle under his head. Gideon tried to breath more slowly, his chest raising with difficulties. A painful burn was shooting through his chest, giving rhythm to the sound in his head. He pressed his hands on his hears, trying to keep the control of his thoughts. A voice was repeating, beating like a drum in his head.   
Carefully, he released the pressure. The voice was lessening. Faltering, he raised to his feet, and headed awkwardly toward the shower, taking support from his desk and walls. He stayed in the entry for a while, gripping the wall's edge. Then, he went to the sink, and opened the water as wide as he could. The faucet sent the pressurized water, gushing like the Niagara falls. Hurried to cool the heat burning inside him, he put his whole face under the cooling stream. He would have prefer cooling his all body, but the shower didn't use water as it was restrain on all space ship. As the cold water ran thru his eyes, cooling them, he brought his hands under the stream making a cup with them. Then, he threw the water over his head, spreading it into his hair. Drops fell on his neck, and his shoulders as he bent over the sink to stare in the mirror. He was looking as he had messed with a dozen of narns. His eyes had swollen, and the bruises seemed to reappeared. Chambers told him he was healed, so how could these things come back? He was tired, and all he wanted was these strange things to stop. He had lost his mark, nothing to rely on, no one to talk to as they could never imagine what was going thru his mind, putting him among the raving lunatic. He felt alone, none of his friends would never understand.   
Slowly, he took a deep breath. The sound of the door bell caught him by surprise. Who could it be? He didn't expect anybody besides John, who wouldn't come before, he checked his wrist link and looked puzzled. The time was wrong thought Matthew that couldn't be?   
A voice came through the door. " Captain ? " called Matheson.  
Hell, he had probably lost track of time when he was out, having this vision, if he could call it that way. Staggering on his feet, he exited the bathroom, his hair drenched, running on his red shirt. Before leaving the bathroom, he grabbed a towel on his way to the door.  
" Computer, dim the light by fifty percent. " he ordered. Then, he put the towel over his head, " come in ! " he said as he rubbed his hair in a quick move.  
The door opened, and Matheson entered. Remarking the light, he asked " Do you have a problem with the light, Sir? "   
" No, I was tired, so I got some sleep and since I've just wake up...you know, with the shower I almost didn't hear you " answered Matthew, justifying the delay to open the door. He brought the towel over his face hiding the reappearing bruises as John came closer, a file in his hand. " Is this the report? " wondered Matthew, changing the subject.   
" Yes Captain, when you were on Tolavia, the main engines got few repairs. "  
Matthew raised his eyes on John, " What kind of repairs are you talking about? " suddenly worry.  
John smiled as his captain seemed to be awoken now. " Nothing we weren't able to manage. Two boards overloaded, the lieutenant Torres found it was due to a dysfunction in the program, which allocated too much energy in the boards. If you remembered, we disabled the control panel C7 in the same sector, three weeks ago. "  
Matthew nodded as he remembered the week before his accident. Everything was normal at that time, nothing to hide from his friend. But today was different, he had no choice. He waved a hand, pointing out John to resume his report.  
" In fact Torres, found a programming error. When the engineers pulled away the panel, they re-programmed the computer to reroute some of the energy in other parts of the ship. Someone would have forgotten to reinitialise the computer cancelling the old program, I suppose, cause I don't see anyone doing this in purpose. "  
" Did you find who made the mistake? " asked Matthew, his hands grabbing the edge of the towel.  
Matheson stayed silent, confused " We didn't get time for it? We.., have been busy on Tolavia. "  
A slight smile appeared on Matthew's face, his second had marked a good point. The crew had a tough time too, he should give them some slack. Just after he would have reached his goal, he swore he would let them all have a long, very long leave.   
" Okay, is that all? " hoped Matthew, tired after what happened to him.  
" No, there's more pages on small incidents during the last two weeks. Everything has been settled, there're just fact. "  
" Thanks, I'm sure that will help, knowing the problem had been solved, make me happier already. " he joked, " Is there anything else ?" wondered Matthew as Matheson was still standing in front of him.  
Matheson hesitated, " Our heading sir, it's not on the rangers' list. We were wondering where these new coordinates are going to drive us, sir ? "   
Finally, thought Matthew. He'd known this would come soon or later. He cleared his throat, keeping the towel bent over his eyes.  
" We ? " asked Matthew, " who's 'we' , lieutenant ? "  
Matheson crossed his hands behind his back, still. " The doctor Chambers and I, we've just wondered where the Excalibur was going, sir. As we received the directive to go to Babylon 5 for supply, we... "  
Matthew didn't let him finish, cutting his explanation. " I read that directive lieutenant ! As you know it's not an order, as it depends of my approval to go or not. " He said on a sharp tone, staring at Matheson, his face still half hidden in the dark. " So why don't you just tell me what you and the good doctor are really thinking ? " , said Matthew angry.  
Matheson looked stunned, as if his captain had struck him in the chest. He gazed at him, understanding the insinuation. " We will never dare... " he stopped, seeking his words.  
Matthew intervened, " Of course you won't, John. " he said, trying to swallow his anger. " I've always engaged you to tell me everything, even when I'm wrong I always let you speak free. But this time you have to trust me on this one, cause I know exactly where we are going and for what. " he said, speaking to John. Matthew hoped he was right. He had to convince Matheson and the others, as Galen was probably behind all of this, thought Matthew.  
He smiled to John, burying his rage against the technomage deep inside him. Galen was always keeping an eye on him, in the end that was becoming unbearable.  
" I'll see you for the next shift. " said Matthew, enjoining Matheson to leave him alone.  
As soon as the young lieutenant disappeared behind the door, Matthew dropped the towel on his knees. He was still bathed in sweat, his hands shaking a little bit. He had calmed down his breathing while he was talking to Matheson, but still he had a rough time to stay focus. Exhausted, he walked toward his bed and leant on the sheets, hoping to take a long nap before anything new come to bother him again. He brought back his arms against him, trying to stop the shaking. His mind began to wander, memories of the first time he'd met Matheson came into view. He gave the ghost of a smile, he had always considered John as his best friend though it was impossible for him to tell everything he knew or they would think he had gone mad. No, he thought, he would have to wait or they would stop him before he can reach his destination. Then he would tell John and Galen everything they would like to hear.   
  
********************  
  
" So, you talked to him, and what did he say ? " asked Galen, nervous.   
" I don't think the captain is acting strangely, if it's what you mean. " said Matheson. He had joined Chambers and Galen in the med lab, after his talk with the captain.   
" You didn't find him too nervous, like if he had something to hide ? " asked again Galen.  
Matheson scowled, his arms crossed on his chest. " Like a possessed man ! " he voiced. " I really don't feel comfortable to speak of the captain when he's not there ! " he added, his voice back to normal.   
Galen gave a look of surprise to Chambers, " It's not about Matthew, " snarled Galen, " It's about where we are going and for what ! " He stared at Matheson, waiting for him to deny it. " I know Matthew for a long time, even I know he's hiding things from me, but this time is totally different ! The man I talked to this morning was distant and cold. If he could, I'm sure he would ask our help."  
" Yes but how ? " asked Chambers. " He's not telling us anything, how could we possibly be for some help to him ? " she said, giving up.  
" I suggest we keep an eye on him all the time. " Galen turned his back to them. " Then, if something goes wrong, we will be ready to intervene, that's why friends are for.. " said Galen looking at the window, the end of his sentence fading into a whisper. Outside Chambers' medical staff were busy, working on computers. Galen sight stopped on a nurse who was helping a young ensign with a broken leg.  
" It's fine for me, " answered Chambers, " but if you can stay with him on the bridge, I'll have a bigger problem to justify if I stay on the bridge for a long time. " she said.  
" You're right, Doc, " agreed Matheson, " besides, I talk about you to the captain. "  
Chambers eyes widened. " Why did you tell him that ? " said Chambers, stunned.  
Galen turned his head swiftly, facing Matheson. " Then, he knows now. It's going to be very difficult to survey him. " quipped the technomage. " I don't think it would be wise to stay on the bridge more than your duty oblige you. " addressing to Matheson. " I'm sure Matthew's going to keep an eye on us now. "  
" I didn't talk about you, how could he find out ? " replied Matheson.  
" You underestimate Matthew if you think he had no suspicions when you talked to him. " smirked Galen.  
" I had to ask him ! " justified Matheson, " he's my commanding officer Galen ! If you're wrong we are betraying his trust ! " voiced Matheson.   
Galen's eyebrows raised, " and if I'm right ? "  
" If you were right, since then, I think I would have see it already, which is not the case ! " he said angry. " I know the captain, and that's not the first time is acting weirdly. He'd done it a couple times before today, and I always trust him. Why should I change my mind today ? Because you said it, so we should turned our back on him and believe your words. What proof do you have ? " asked Matheson, now very mad at the technomage.  
Galen refused to answer, his furious gaze sparkling.   
Matheson resumed " why don't you tell us everything you know for once ? What was in the cave that made you so cautious about the captain ? "  
" Something you should beware of ! " whispered Galen.  
" What did you see ? " wondered Chambers, puzzled as Matheson was by Galen's words.  
The mage dropped his sight to the floor, sighing. When he raised his eyes, fear was lurking inside them. " It was a warning. "  
" You could read it ! " was astonished Chambers. " Why you didn't tell us sooner ? "  
" I had my reasons ! " answered Galen.  
Matheson sighed, " What kind of warning was written on the wall ? "  
Galen swung his head, his sight lost among the ceiling. " It was not clear, even for me. I think it was more a blessing for the place. "  
Chambers stared at him, confused. " So why am I worrying like that ? " she said grinning.  
" The blessing could have been put there to avoid any evil to escape from it, as a barrier. I wanted to be sure nothing bad happens before I can find a way to reverse the thing. " scowled Galen mourning. His eyes glimmered at the thought Matthew finding a way to escape them. Then, all their hope would vanish in the same time.  
  
********************  
  
He sat nonchalantly in the commanding chair, his sight waving on the bridge. He was feeling better already. The shower had done a good effect on the soreness he felt in his chest last night. He gave the ghost of a smile, now he could take his business back on the road.  
Matheson came toward him, he had the sight of the bad days. "We reached our destination, sir. "  
" Alright then, jump ! " ordered Matthew to the pilot at the com.  
The dark, red stripped light from the hyperspace opened, letting appear a tapestry inlaid with shining stars. The Excalibur engaged into the new formed gate. As if appearing from nowhere, the space tore under the opening of a blue jumpgate, the Excalibur cutting thru the red space came out as the gate shut close.  
Matthew raised from his chair and walked toward the giant screen. His attention was drown by a small planet which was appearing in the right corner of the view.  
" Magnify the right corner by ten ! " pointing a finger to show the planet " I want to have a better look at this. "  
" yes sir ! " answered the ensign sat in front of the screen.  
The screen blinked and changed into a green planet, a class M, probably thought Matthew as he could see she had a dense atmosphere.  
The ensign worked on her keyboard, " The atmosphere is made of argon, nitrogen and a great percentage of sulfur." She waved her head to see Matthew's reaction.  
He nodded as he acknowledged the facts. " I want you to scan the system to find a class M planet, red this time. Probably full of nickel or having an atmosphere as dense as Venus got one. "   
The ensign gave a strange look to Matheson, who was behind Matthew, then she began the search taping on her board. Matthew could see Matheson getting worry near him. His hand pulled back in his back, as he always did when he was annoyed by something. Nervous, thought Matthew, Galen had probably transmitted him his paranoia. Matthew returned to sit on his chair, leaving Matheson still next to the com.   
" The search will take some time, sir, " she said finally. " The sector is full of bursting class M, and it's big as a parsec. "  
He checked his control panel over him. He had no need to stay on the bridge when Matheson was there, he trusted him well enough. Then, he walked toward the turbolift, " I'll be in my quarters. " addressing to Matheson, and left the bridge as the door shut close behind him. He looked at the panel on his right, " Deck 4 " he said to the computer. The turbolift began to move, digit changed as he passed thru different deck.  
It was really too hot in this lift, thought Matthew as he dried his forehead with the back of his hand. Some sweat run through his temple. Before him, the door blurred.   
" Not again ! " he grunted. His jerky breath didn't gave him any chance to fill his lungs. His face had turned rubbicund, and he had to lean on the wall as he staggered on his legs. A violent pain hammered his chest. He bent in two, his arms squeezing his ribs as it could cool the burn from inside.  
" Deck 7 " he hissed between his teeth. He had to see Sarah before this finishes by killing him.  
Then, as sudden as it appeared, the pain vanished, leaving a small tickling instead. His eyes widened, and his face relaxed as he swallowed a whiff of air. Finally, he raised to his legs in the same time the door opened.  
  
********************  
  
Slowly he got out the turbolift, peeping at each side. He didn't want any of the crewmate seeing him in this shape, especially Galen. As he had tried to hide things from him, this would ruined all his efforts if he had seen him.  
He heaved a sigh of relief, no one was in this corridor. Still reeling a bit on his legs, he headed to the med bay, a hand on the wall. Before entering the med bay, he fixed his uniform right, hiding his weakness as well as he could. With a hand he brought back his moisten hair. Then, he headed toward Sarah's office, affecting a large smile to the medical staff he met.  
He almost banged into Chambers as she exited the room reading a pad.  
" Captain, " she said, surprise paint on her face. " I didn't see you coming, I'm sorry. "  
" No, it's my fault " he said, apologizing. He smiled, hoping she wouldn't read in his eyes. " Do you have a sec ? " he asked her, managing to keep his balance as he was beginning to feel nausea.  
She looked at her pad, then at him. " Sure, come in, will talk inside. " She preceded him into her office.  
Then, she sat behind her desk, thinking he had come to have her point of view, or perhaps he was ready to talk to her, ready to explain his strange behavior he had lately, she hoped.  
As she expected, he sat quickly in the chair in front of her. She raised her onyx eyes on him, waiting for him to speak first. He was looking tired she noticed, dark circle under his eyes. After what he had gone thru, it was quite normal, she told to herself.  
" I was wondering if you could give me some sleeping pills, I can't close my eyes this last days. " said Matthew, adjusting his back to the chair as he was feeling uncomfortable, his chest burning again.  
She nodded, " I'm not sure it would be wise in your conditions, you won't recover if you filled your metabolism with chemicals. " As she spoke, she realized he had more than tiredness in his hazel eyes, she was right he hadn't come just to talk. In fact, the man she had in front of her was in pain and he didn't want to beg for her help. She frowned, Matthew had never used to act that way, he had always spoken freely to her. Using an excuse to ask something else wasn't him at all. Besides, the last time he had left the med bay, he had fully recovered. She had checked herself her devices, if they weren't in cause, then, what was happening to Matt.  
" I can prescribe to you some pain medication if it's hurt, it would be better than those sleeping pills. " she tried, her fingers busy on her keyboard as she hadn't see clear in his game.   
" If it's all you've gotten for me, " he said, affecting disappointment in his voice. " then, I'll take it. "  
Sarah's eyes sparkled. Damn Matt, she voiced inside, can't you just tell me what's wrong. She crossed her hands on the desk as she was taking a long deep breath, swallowing her frustration.   
She sat back in the chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest, thinking. " Since I have you within reach, I have a couple of test to run on you. " She raised on her feet, grabbing a pad in the way.   
Although he hated it, he followed her, the desire to understand what was happening to him was stronger than his discomfort. He sat docilely on a med bed, which confirmed Sarah in her idea. He needed help, but was unwilling to ask, for a reason that still, had escaped to her.   
At first the data flooding her screen were normal, as he had never been injured. She wasn't surprised.  
" How do you feel ? " she asked him, taking his wrist to check manually his pulse. Perhaps, if she couldn't trust her tools, the old way would give her a better information.  
" I just have a little soreness in the shoulders..." he replied as she pressed his wrist, counting.  
Her eyes widened, his pulse was beating to fast. She run her pad again, then sighed, the result was the same. Something was changing the data, making them better than the reality. She put her palm on his forehead, he was burning. She nodded, angry. " It's more than sleeping pills that you need, " she burst, her eyes throwing dark lightning towards him. " I won't allow you to leave until you had really told me what's going on. "  
He gave her the ghost of a smile, then the throbbing burn in his chest made him lose it. Sarah's look changed as she realized he was fighting the pain inside him.  
" Matt ? " she said, trying to catch his attention.  
Then, his wrist link beeped. Matheson spoke, " we found the planet captain. "  
Matthew left the bed, trying to give his best smile to Sarah as to reassure her. She was not taken in by it. " Duty first, " he said as she stepped on his way, hoping she would reason him, make him stay. But, he moved apart, and headed to the door.  
She couldn't make him stay, she sighed hopelessly. She had no evidence he was in bad shape, in fact he was the only one who could admit it. Then, she had no right to keep him here, when he was required on the bridge.   
  
********************  
  
At the first glance, he caught Galen standing in the shadow of the briefing room. Matheson had probably call him, worried about what he was going to do. Despite the shooting burn which had spread to his neck and shoulders, he managed to stay up, walking towards his chair. He muffled a sigh of relieve as he sat. Galen approached from behind, his hands joined. Matthew could feel his glowing blue eyes on his neck. He wanted to know more than ever what he hid from him.  
In front of the screen, a red planet was cutting from the darkness of the space. Matthew's eyes blinked as he recognized the planet he saw in his vision. Before the screen, Matheson was bent over the ensign, talking. As soon as he saw Matthew, he came toward him, a hand on his ear piece.  
" Captain, as you could see, this planet matches with your data. Is this the one you were looking for ? " asked Matheson.  
" Yes, perhaps. "  
Matheson peeped at the screen, then went back to Matthew, " Should I prepare a landing party ? "  
In his back, Matthew could almost felt the mage's breath on his neck. Swallowing he focused on the screen, no it wasn't the place he was looking for. In fact, it was just the first piece of the puzzle. A blank passed thru his eyes. If he let go now, Galen and the others would hinder him to go forward. It was vital he had to make it on time. He wasn't sure why, but he had the feeling he had to hurry.  
" Head to the sector 70 by 40 by 10, prepared to jump ! " he ordered, as Matheson stared at him. " Trust me. " he said to his second before this one even speak. " Jump ! " he commanded to the com pilot  
Matheson glared at him then at Galen. Both men exchanged incredulous sight. Galen stepped in front of Matthew, a question was burning his lips, could swear Matthew. But before the technomage throw his question, Matthew raised and with a nod to Matheson he left the bridge. The question would wait that he would be ready to answer it. Till then, Galen would have to learn the virtue of patience.  
  
  



End file.
